Recently I was watching the new Cinderella at 1 o’clock in the morning. In full disclosure I was watching it at 1 o’clock in the morning because I was unable to sleep due to watching multiple episodes of The Walking Dead. It was my attempt at switching my brain to think of happy fairy tale stuff not walkers and a bat named Lucille (this strategy was not effective). But while watching this movie, there was a line that hit close to home.

Cinderella (2015 Disney)

To be seen as we truly are is being open. I can tell you that being open is not my wheelhouse. I can be your cheerleader, problem solver, or just plan support but the second I need to be open about my stuff, I get a pit in my stomach. Because being open scares me, I’m going to focus on it this week. Here are the principals I’m going to practice:

1) Know what you are feeling. Do you know how you are feeling right now? You would be surprised to know that very few people are paying enough attention to tell you what emotions they are having and what it feels like to walk around in their body today. Emotions are one of those things we often times try to stuff way down so that we can get through our day without crying or yelling at someone- but then we lose touch with what it is like to be us. Body sensations are often ignored unless we are in pain. That is why we need to be more mindful of it, so that we know what it is like to be in our own skin.

I do this by stating (usually in my head) what I am feeling every time I walk thru a doorway. It’s a good way to remember to note how I feel throughout the day.

2) Speak your truth. When you are talking accurately to how you feel, you are speaking your truth. This does not mean that you are mean or socially rude, but that you are speaking from the heart without letting others influence those words.

When I’m not ‘speaking my truth’ I usually get a lump in my throat or feel flushed. So when I have these ques, I’m going to make a point to go back to my true feelings.

3) Be strong you. This is where you act how you feel inside and won’t let others force or guilt you into changing your actions to fit their standards.

There are still a few people in my life that I change my behaviors for because I am worried about what they will think of me. When in all actuality they already know the good and the bad of me and still like me. I have the hardest time noticing this until my emotions are all messy and I realize that I was not acting how I really feel inside. So this will be my hardest aspect to acknowledge.  

The general idea here is loving who you are and being strong enough to be who you are around others. This whole experience should be a positive one, meaning that it does not hurt yourself or others in the process.

My Challenge to you: Let’s be open this week and enjoy being the strong selfs we know we can be. 🙂  Here are the aspects to practice:

1) Know what you are feeling.

2) Speak your truth.

3) Be strong you.

Happy finding your ‘ever after’ true self friends!

-Jessie the Therapist