I want to share with you something.
A little truth about my mind.
She doesn’t like to speak up.
She likes to go along with things– even when my gut/sixth sense tells me something isn’t right.
She learned that speaking up could sometimes lead to things out of her control —– yelling, gaslighting, silent treatment, cruel words that can never be undone.
Those things— that all happened when she was young— left an imprint in her beliefs.
It’s safer not to say anything– even if you feel otherwise. She used those specific events to counsel me on all events– even the ones know— like getting delivered a perfume that is clearly different.
When this bottle arrived– I noticed what my mind said and did.
My MIND: “It’s ok. It’s probably just a new formula.”
MY GUT: Something’s not quite right. Let’s find out more.
MY MIND: “No one is going to agree with you, so you should just keep quiet”.
FEAR: “It’s too much work trying to speak up for things that you think are right and others don’t“.
ME: Who are all the voices speaking?
ME: What is the cost to believing my mind? (I reinforce the belief that I should keep quiet for the sake of peace. I feel depleted. Powerless. Disrespected. TRUTH: Then I never feel any peace)
ME: Nope, I’m going to practice challenging this thought. Because the truth wouldn’t ask me to keep quiet and ignore my gut.
ME: Called Sephora Customer Service (waited 17 minutes– during which I contemplated hanging up several times). Shared what had happened.
CUSTOMER SERVICE: That is not right. It shouldn’t be a different color. Please discard immediately and we will be expediting you a new bottle.
MY MIND: Hmmmm— maybe the thought that I can speak up and be heard– is a valid belief.
ME: YES!!! I can honor my traumas and know that I’m not the victim of them.
I can change.
And you can too.
It’s not our behaviors that we should force into submission— it’s a compassionate look at our thoughts and our mind.
It’s the thoughts where the magic of change can occur.