Journey of Self-Reflection
Sometimes, it feels like life is a crowded theater where your feelings are the loudest voices, and your mind is the unsuspecting audience, absorbing every word. We often mistake our feelings for the absolute truth, unaware that they can sometimes lead us astray. Today, I want to share a personal journey with you, a journey where I learned the liberating, transformative lesson: don’t believe everything you feel.
One cold December morning, a few years back, I found myself hunched over my kitchen table, clutching a mug of coffee, a tempest of feelings storming inside me. Anxiety, doubt, fear—each a character in a screenplay that my mind was staging. That day, it seemed as if life was conspiring against me. I remember thinking: was the universe just a cruel playwright, scripting my despair?
In that moment, I felt my dreams slipping through my fingers like sand. The voice inside my head, which I had allowed to guide me for so long, told me I was doomed to fail, that I was not good enough. I believed it, hook, line, and sinker. After all, aren’t our feelings supposed to be the most authentic compass, guiding us through the maze of life?
But then, I stumbled upon an insightful book by a wise, compassionate Buddhist monk. One line from it resonated with me deeply and has since been etched in my heart: “Don’t believe everything you feel.” I read that line over and over, my mind wrestling to comprehend its profound implications.
With time, I realized that feelings, as persuasive and overpowering as they may be, are not always the ultimate truth. They are transient, they shift like the wind and are shaped by countless variables, from our past experiences to our present circumstances and our anticipated futures. They can often be more reflective of our insecurities and biases than of our reality.
In the middle of my turmoil, I started challenging the narratives spun by my feelings. Instead of succumbing to my fear of failure, I questioned it. Was I truly not good enough, or was it an ingrained belief that stemmed from a harsh criticism I had faced in the past? Was my dream really slipping away, or was it the anxiety speaking, echoing the disappointments I had experienced before?
As I questioned these feelings, something amazing happened. They began to lose their grip over me. Their voices became softer, their presence less threatening. I discovered that these feelings were not facts written in stone, but clouds in the sky of my mind, which could be observed, understood, and allowed to pass.
In this self-reflection, I found liberation. I realized that feelings, while an essential part of our human experience, are not always our best guides. They’re like weather patterns in the mind, sometimes sunny and uplifting, sometimes stormy and unsettling. Acknowledging this was like opening a window in a stuffy room—it let in a fresh breeze of understanding and self-compassion.
From that cold December morning to this day, I am learning not to let my feelings dictate my reality. I am learning to sit with them, to listen to them, but also to question them. And it is my sincerest hope that my story motivates you to embark on a similar journey of self-reflection.
Don’t believe everything you feel. Instead, observe your feelings, question them, understand them, and then let them guide you. They’re a part of your journey, but they’re not the whole story. Remember, amidst the ever-changing weather of feelings, there’s an unchanging sky of wisdom within you. Seek it out. Trust it.
Because you, just as you are, are more than enough.
There will be days when clouds of self-doubt will cast shadows over your dreams, but remember, those clouds will pass. There will be nights when the storm of anxiety will seem unending, but remember, the dawn always follows the darkest hour. Don’t let these transient feelings persuade you that they are your unchangeable reality.
In this journey, there is a strength in vulnerability. There is courage in acknowledging that we don’t have all the answers, and there is wisdom in understanding that our feelings, though they shape our perceptions, do not define us. Instead, they offer us an opportunity to grow, to learn, and to discover who we are beyond the immediate realm of our emotions.
One practical way to help differentiate your feelings from the truth is through mindfulness and meditation. Sitting quietly with your thoughts, observing them without judgment, gives you the space to examine the accuracy of your feelings. This might not come easily at first, but like anything, it becomes more comfortable with practice.
Another useful tool is to engage in regular self-reflection, perhaps through journaling. By putting your feelings into words and seeing them on paper, you can gain a more objective perspective and see if they align with reality or are distorted interpretations of it.
In moments of intense emotions, seek comfort in trusted relationships. Speak openly with friends, loved ones, a coach or a counsellor about your feelings. Sometimes, just the act of sharing your emotional world can help alleviate the weight it imposes. And often, they can offer a perspective that you may not have considered, helping to illuminate the space between what you feel and what is real.
There’s a quote by a renowned American author, Anais Nin, that beautifully encapsulates this journey: “We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.” Our feelings shape our perceptions, color our world, and influence our reactions. But they are not the sole arbiters of reality.
As we navigate through the theater of life, it is vital to remember that we hold the power to question the screenplay presented by our feelings. We have the agency to rewrite it, to craft a narrative that aligns more closely with our reality rather than our momentary emotions.
So, the next time you find yourself swayed by a powerful feeling, take a moment. Breathe. Look inward and question it. Remember, you are more than your immediate feelings. You are a culmination of experiences, beliefs, talents, and dreams. You are a work in progress, continually growing, learning, and evolving.
And amidst the chaos of feelings, never forget to be kind to yourself. Allow yourself to feel, to stumble, to question, and to learn. After all, this journey of self-reflection and understanding isn’t about negating your feelings but learning to navigate them better. It’s about discovering the tranquil sky beyond the stormy clouds. It’s about embracing the beautiful, complex, and resilient being that you are.
Remember, don’t believe everything you feel. But do believe in the strength, wisdom, and potential within you. The journey to understanding our emotions is a winding one, but every step, every moment of self-reflection, brings us closer to our truth, our resilience, and our unbounded potential.
In conclusion, always remember, you are more than your immediate feelings. You are a culmination of experiences, beliefs, talents, and dreams. You are a work in progress, continually growing, learning, and evolving.
If you ever find this journey overwhelming or need guidance along the way, don’t hesitate to reach out.
As a Mind Mastery and Transformative Coach and an NLP practitioner, I am here to assist you. I’m available via email at cherie@liberatedsoul.ca or you can connect with me on our Facebook page, Liberated Mind, Liberated Soul. https://www.facebook.com/liberatedmindsoul/.
Let’s continue this journey together, toward understanding, growth, and liberation. Remember, don’t believe everything you feel. But do believe in the strength, wisdom, and potential within you.
Till next time,
Cherie