How to Connect with Your Truth
Truth, like gold, is to be obtained not by its growth, but by washing away from it all that is not gold. - Leo Tolstoy
Discovering your truth is a lifelong journey if you’ll take it.
In a world that saturates self-identity, connecting with who we truly are is the key to living a happy and fulfilled life. But for many people, the perplexity of this process can be overwhelming especially for those navigating through the kernel of identity in their sexuality, expression, and values.
Our truth is who we are alone - in our innocence, acceptance, and curiosity. Before we were taught to fit ourselves into the social constructs society created to help us feel safe and empowered. Our truth is hidden with our dreams in the garden we created as children before it was locked by the distractions of an unstoppable word.
As we get older, we discover the delicious freedom that waits for us on the other side of judgment and the harsh reality of dwelling outside of the present. We experience undeniable pain that punctually strays us away from our truth but reminds us of our collective need to feel safe, desired, and loved. The pain grounds us and in these moments we see who we truly are.
By leaning into our deepest feelings, we discover our truth and a world of endless possibilities. Connecting to your truth asks you to immerse yourself in situations that vibrate your soul. Here are some ways:
Reflect - Life moves so quickly, we rarely spend time alone. Dedicate time each day to meditate or reflect on your life and choices. Use this space to remove negative feelings tied to your past and create a vision of your dreams and reality knowing that you have a choice in everything that you do. Search within these thoughts for the people, places, and things that make you feel good and most like yourself.
Listen - At the core of who we are is an inherent knowledge of what makes us happy and simply because it feels true and right. Everything we do as humans can be rooted in feelings and if we allow it, our gut can serve as a guide and protector on our journey.
Think - We have the power to control our thinking which ultimately shifts the outcome of our experiences. With that, finding joy or opportunity in every situation can teach us lessons about ourselves. When we’re able to separate emotion from what we know about ourselves, we’re able to focus on understanding it.
Work - Doing and completing challenging tasks raises our confidence and for some of us, achieving hard things is directly associated with our self-esteem. As humans, we need to feel a sense of purpose to experience consistent motivation. Purpose gives us the energy to move forward, learning, and growing along the way. Most importantly, work hard for yourself.
Chase - In The Road Not Taken, Robert Frost encourages taking the road less traveled. Although scary, part of working hard in life is proving to yourself that you can achieve the things you most desire. In turn, we’re gifted respect for ourselves and from others. Understand that there will be lessons and setbacks along the way but you will experience a sense of fulfillment that outweighs the negative. Be sure that your dreams are real and not superficial. Money can’t buy you happiness.
