We limit ourselves when we adopt specific identities, and then believe that this is truly who we are and must be.
H.H. the Karmapa
This quote touches a very sensitive place in me. So many of us have spent years thinking ourselves to be something we are not just because someone has told us that is how we are or how we are supposed to be and we believed them.
Some of us continue to believe these stories we are told because we may not realize that in all actuality we are the only person who gets to decide who we really are. We may spend years feeling like something is not right with us, wishing we could do or be something other than what we were told we were supposed to be. We may be uncomfortable doing certain things or acting a certain way but do it anyway because that is what we think is expected of us… not who we are inside.
Sometimes, we let others define who we are because we are scared. Scared of what others may think or that they may not like us if they knew how we really were. We want others to like us so we try to become the person we believe they want us to be when we are around them. We deny our true self because somewhere, we have gotten the idea that we are not good enough as we are. We end up being
There was a time in my life for many years where I was one of those people. I let others define who I was and gave away my power because I let their opinions of who they thought I should be take precedence over what I knew deep inside of me to be the truth. I was scared that I was not worthy of being loved for who I truly was.
I finally decided that I no longer wanted to be that person that I let someone else had tell me I was supposed to be and went about changing into the person that I wanted to be. Admitting that I had let someone else dictate who I was was the most difficult part for me. I have read a lot of personal development books and have even taken some courses in order to get the courage to take back my power and slowly learn to stand in my own truth. Sometimes, when things get scary or difficult, it is easy to slip back into old patterns and I need to stop, take a few deep breaths and remind myself that if I want to be in charge of my life, that I have to take charge of my life and not let anyone else run it for me. Every time one of those episodes happen they are shorter and shorter.
It is a work in progress. A journey that will last a lifetime because I know that I will continue to grow and change. The possibilities are unlimited and so am I! Oh what fun this is going to be….and it will be all on me. Just the way it is supposed to be.