Hiding one’s true self out of fear of shame. Our inner critic screams limiting beliefs over and over, as we fight them back they seem to creep in without the screams, leaving us to notice only once they have, yet again, infiltrated the mind. A sense of defeat frequently follows, giving power to that, now growing, feeling.

Feeling judged by others, we hide behind smiles, braggadocios comments, sarcasm, jokes, and quiet retreat. We even hide from our own self, as we layer on the feelings of inadequacy or unworthiness. The practice of present, self-reflection and having compassion certainly helps; the moment we stray from our daily ritual/practice, the swirling beliefs are eager to jump right back on board.

Our human mind may never truly unfold all these layers and be purely free. While this may be true, we can show up today and shine with the brightness we have and stand in a place of unconditional, unapologetic love and acceptance for ourself. Speak our truth from the depths, own our shadows with grace, and brighten our light with gratitude for this process of learning. 🙂