- Do you feel like your life, relationships & career are true reflections of what you genuinely want, need, & desire?
- Is your persona on social media a true reflection of who you are, or just an image you'd like to portray?
- Do you accept status quo in your relationships or career with statements like "Well, it could be worse"?
- Do you believe that the power of positive thinking will erase negativity from your life?
I've totally been guilty of this: letting the power of positive thinking plus wishful thinking keep me in situations, jobs, or relationships that lure me from my purpose and strip me of my integrity. I let my imagination run wild with justifications while convincing myself "I really am happy" even though inside I can feel that tug of misalignment with my true self. But I cling to the illusion because it absolves me of change. It takes away the need to start over, try something new, and risk vulnerability. It takes away the challenge of convincing myself that I really am worthy of whatever I want, need, and desire in life and love. And it takes away the need for trust; in myself and in the Universe. So I end up disillusioned into thinking that all my fabricated happiness, passion, and fulfillment is enough. But really, it's jut a coping mechanism.
Accepting reality doesn't mean you have to settle for it, though. While I definitely believe it's healthy to find the positive aspects of challenging situations, jobs, or relationships, I also believe it's completely unhealthy to ignore the ways in which they make you feel disrespected, undervalued, defeated, unloved, or under-appreciated. Your gut knows. And living in reality means being present with all of your thoughts, feelings, and emotions; including the dark ones. It's about listening to your intuition right now. Living in reality is your opportunity to assess whether or not your choices have created the life that you want and the feelings you want to experience. That way, rather than becoming the victim of circumstance, you have the power to choose something different. It might take time to reshape your reality, but every single choice should lead you toward authenticity rather than illusion.
Indie Girl Diary: writing prompt
I've been living in the illusion of __________.
Indie Girl-Talk: let's chat!
What stories do you tell to convince yourself "I really am happy" even though you're not?
