What an important, and brilliantly written essay. Stories can save and enslave! I also really appreciated hearing your reluctance to deliver your Ted Talk "medicated." I think so many of us can get caught up in thinking that we must be shams if we can't meditate our way out of a Houdini box. I refused to take medication for years, only to finally discover, it's one of the most helpful, easy (and cheap) tools in my healing toolkit.
Honestly I had to remind myself AGAIN a few weeks ago before an MRI where I had to have my head in the tube that it was okay to take the Xanax my doctor prescribed because I’ve developed awful claustrophobia in the last couple of years. I meditated myself through the MRI last time, but made myself feel like I had to do it again because, why?! lol. Because I needed to prove something to myself after all these years? I took the Xanax. That’s self-compassion, too! Thanks for being here and for your great comments 🤍
This was so beautifully written, and I read it three times in the last couple of days.
Many years ago, I took an 8 week mindfulness course and during the first class, this lady walked in pretty late, with tons of bags and papers and cups that she was carrying and she was loud and disruptive and took up so much space and immediately my brain made a story about her (hate to admit, not a very kind one). By the third week, she was one of my favorite people, who opened up with so much vulnerability and realness about her life and her struggles and it really made made me aware of my snap judgements and the stories in my head based on a small sliver of what I see.
Thank you 🤍 This is so beautiful of you to share, I’m sitting here smiling. We’ve all done it and I think we all do it. I try to do it a lot less and to catch myself sooner when I think I know what’s happening with someone else, but it still happens sometimes. Sending you and your kind heart lots of love x
Hey Ally, another wonderful read! Funnily, I was actually thinking about you, how I found you online (not sure exactly when, a good few years back!) and how I kind of created a story about you, but I realised reading this, that that story is quite matching even today. I think it's because I feel you're authentic. You're one of the first people I found very authentic and brilliant with words and it created connection within me, I suppose with my soul. I truly love how you guide us towards ourselves and light using words and your own experience. Thank you. 🥰
Thanks for this—loved it! and got me thinking about my current stories about people in my life. And stories people have about me. Will be thinking about this a lot.
What an important, and brilliantly written essay. Stories can save and enslave! I also really appreciated hearing your reluctance to deliver your Ted Talk "medicated." I think so many of us can get caught up in thinking that we must be shams if we can't meditate our way out of a Houdini box. I refused to take medication for years, only to finally discover, it's one of the most helpful, easy (and cheap) tools in my healing toolkit.
Honestly I had to remind myself AGAIN a few weeks ago before an MRI where I had to have my head in the tube that it was okay to take the Xanax my doctor prescribed because I’ve developed awful claustrophobia in the last couple of years. I meditated myself through the MRI last time, but made myself feel like I had to do it again because, why?! lol. Because I needed to prove something to myself after all these years? I took the Xanax. That’s self-compassion, too! Thanks for being here and for your great comments 🤍
Well done! Bowing to the gods of Xanax. ;)
🤣
This was so beautifully written, and I read it three times in the last couple of days.
Many years ago, I took an 8 week mindfulness course and during the first class, this lady walked in pretty late, with tons of bags and papers and cups that she was carrying and she was loud and disruptive and took up so much space and immediately my brain made a story about her (hate to admit, not a very kind one). By the third week, she was one of my favorite people, who opened up with so much vulnerability and realness about her life and her struggles and it really made made me aware of my snap judgements and the stories in my head based on a small sliver of what I see.
Thank you 🤍 This is so beautiful of you to share, I’m sitting here smiling. We’ve all done it and I think we all do it. I try to do it a lot less and to catch myself sooner when I think I know what’s happening with someone else, but it still happens sometimes. Sending you and your kind heart lots of love x
Hey Ally, another wonderful read! Funnily, I was actually thinking about you, how I found you online (not sure exactly when, a good few years back!) and how I kind of created a story about you, but I realised reading this, that that story is quite matching even today. I think it's because I feel you're authentic. You're one of the first people I found very authentic and brilliant with words and it created connection within me, I suppose with my soul. I truly love how you guide us towards ourselves and light using words and your own experience. Thank you. 🥰
Well now you went and made me cry, Peter. I really appreciate that, it’s the best thing you could say. And I’m grateful to be connected 🤍
Thanks for this—loved it! and got me thinking about my current stories about people in my life. And stories people have about me. Will be thinking about this a lot.
I’m so glad. I have to check my own stories all the time. I tend to should on myself even though I know I shouldn’t. See? I just didn’t again ;)