For much of my life I had a small, nagging, negative voice in my head talking badly about myself that held me back from truly being myself. I am not all too sure where she came from but she was always there and gave me anxiety and depression. These past few years I have unlearned to listen to these negative thoughts. I have learned that what my head may think negatively about myself is not true!! and that the part of me that whispers with love and compassion is the voice I should be listening to! I have worked very hard on myself to look at myself with love the same way I look at others with love.
Hah. Like a slap in the face. I need to unlearn some things which are clearly now psychic traps that unfortunately also hook my physiology while killing it. Feels like there isn’t much time left to do it but Lord knows the pain of not doing anything about it.
I am in the process of unlearning to care so much about things
like looking young, and being perceived by others as being younger than I am.
Dumb stuff, I know, but very real for me.
Dear Mary the media and everywhere we look we are constantly told we need to look younger and for what why ? Sex sells and you are beautiful at any age. π
I donβt know if you know who Georgia OβKeeffe the painter is, but Iβve always admired her. She was beautiful even with all her wrinkles she was so unafraid of just being herself. Even though Iβve heard that she said she was terrified for most of her life, but it never stopped her from doing things.. not an exact quote but something at least to that effect. Hope you let it go .
What have I unlearned recently? I’m not sure I have unlearned anything though there is much I need to unlearn! However, I will say that today’s quote from Br. David spoke to me as did Richard Rohr’s daily meditation. https://cac.org/daily-meditations/a-change-in-consciousness/
“Maybe we simply need now and then to look up at the silent stars and lose ourselves to be set free.” Br. David’s use of the term “lose ourselves to be set free” resonates with me. My egoic mind is constantly robbing me of freedom. I so need to lose it!
Thank you,
dear Carol,
for posting Richard Rohr’s meditation for today. β₯
“I now believe that the other reality we are rightly seeking is not elsewhere or in the future but right in our own hearts and heads! If we put on an entirely different mind, then heaven takes care of itself and, in fact, begins now.”
Not completely unlearned,
but still working on . . .
taking things personally.
For years now,
ever since I began to practice mindfulness,
I have purposely spent part of my focus
on how I respond to circumstances in my life . . .
I was pretty horrified to observe
that so many things around me
that had nothing to do with me at all,
were being processed through my brain
as an assault on my being . . .
after years of feeling attacked and marginalized,
I caught my first whiff of freedom.
I realize now
that it’s not all about me,
which is a great relief
and a heavy burden lifted off of my shoulders.
I can breathe much more easily now,
and really brush things off,
rather than stuffing them
only to see them rear their ugly heads
at some unexpected time in the future.
A lot of it
has to do with patting my ego on the head
and putting her to bed,
realizing completely,
deep down to my core,
that I am not my ego at all . . .
the ego
is just something I drag along with me
so that I can survive in society.
This knowledge
is like seeing the wizard behind the screen,
who is really not the big, bad wolf,
but a little, bent over man
with levers in his hands,
making something out of smoke and mirrors. β₯
Very well put sparrow you have come very far!
I have also learned this through meditation. Itβs an amazing awakening to see that it has to be let go of. When we choose to let go over and over and truly surrender we are free. Thank you for your very thoughtful post .
Sparrow please take the complement. Iβm sure you have grown as a person by the path of gratitude as well. Be kind and gentle with yourself. We all have upsets and struggles, progress doesnβt always come like we expect.
Choosing to not drag your ego around with is definitely awesome! π
Thank you so much,
dear Antoinette
for your very kind reply.
Like you,
I tend to be hard on myself,
and respond well
when people who care about me
gently remind me
to do the same for myself
with love . . .
sparrow
1
Joseph McCann
1 month ago
Life is not happening to me, it is happening as me.
I am unlearning the negative patterns that have held me back for so long. I am unlearning the need to make myself feel small. I am unlearning the pessimistic beliefs Iβve developed from a young age. The more I become undone, the more I become. And for that, I am grateful ππ
Oh boy. It seems I have been in the process of unlearning for a while now. Habits, assumptions, judgments, unhealthy posture, self blame, concealing, and a few more things, Iβm sure.
I spent the first ten or so years learning habits, the next forty or so years reinforcing them, and the last five or so, unlearning them. Such is life I guess.
Dear Antonia, I have spent way too much time trying to gain the approval of others
It does start to feel like I need their approval to know that I am lovable.
But that is just wrong.
I am lovable Antonia and so are you.
My friend gave me a structured grateful journal about 8 weeks ago. The weekly reflection is ” what thoughts to let go of”
In looking over my 8 responses, I have to unlearn the feeling of inadequatcy, and that things are not right in my life.
I practiced unlearning sharing my opinion on numerous topics at a statewide conference. I focused on sharing historical pieces, then stood back to listen. Happy Monday allπ·
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For much of my life I had a small, nagging, negative voice in my head talking badly about myself that held me back from truly being myself. I am not all too sure where she came from but she was always there and gave me anxiety and depression. These past few years I have unlearned to listen to these negative thoughts. I have learned that what my head may think negatively about myself is not true!! and that the part of me that whispers with love and compassion is the voice I should be listening to! I have worked very hard on myself to look at myself with love the same way I look at others with love.
Beautifully shared, Andrea. The growth in your journey honors you and makes the world a better place for all.π©·
I have been missing Carol Ann.
Carol Ann, are you still coming to the daily question?
I miss you.
Hah. Like a slap in the face. I need to unlearn some things which are clearly now psychic traps that unfortunately also hook my physiology while killing it. Feels like there isn’t much time left to do it but Lord knows the pain of not doing anything about it.
β€οΈ
I am in the process of unlearning to care so much about things
like looking young, and being perceived by others as being younger than I am.
Dumb stuff, I know, but very real for me.
And very real for many, Mary.πΈ
It’s not dumb at all,
dear Mary . . .
we’ve been trained since birth
to think those things matter. β₯
Thatβs true Sparrow.
Our culture is so youth oriented, especially with women.
Thanks for helping me to remember that itβs not just me being vain.
Dear Mary the media and everywhere we look we are constantly told we need to look younger and for what why ? Sex sells and you are beautiful at any age. π
I donβt know if you know who Georgia OβKeeffe the painter is, but Iβve always admired her. She was beautiful even with all her wrinkles she was so unafraid of just being herself. Even though Iβve heard that she said she was terrified for most of her life, but it never stopped her from doing things.. not an exact quote but something at least to that effect. Hope you let it go .
What have I unlearned recently? I’m not sure I have unlearned anything though there is much I need to unlearn! However, I will say that today’s quote from Br. David spoke to me as did Richard Rohr’s daily meditation. https://cac.org/daily-meditations/a-change-in-consciousness/
“Maybe we simply need now and then to look up at the silent stars and lose ourselves to be set free.” Br. David’s use of the term “lose ourselves to be set free” resonates with me. My egoic mind is constantly robbing me of freedom. I so need to lose it!
Thank you,
dear Carol,
for posting Richard Rohr’s meditation for today. β₯
“I now believe that the other reality we are rightly seeking is not elsewhere or in the future but right in our own hearts and heads! If we put on an entirely different mind, then heaven takes care of itself and, in fact, begins now.”
Great snippet to pull out Sparrow!
Not completely unlearned,
but still working on . . .
taking things personally.
For years now,
ever since I began to practice mindfulness,
I have purposely spent part of my focus
on how I respond to circumstances in my life . . .
I was pretty horrified to observe
that so many things around me
that had nothing to do with me at all,
were being processed through my brain
as an assault on my being . . .
after years of feeling attacked and marginalized,
I caught my first whiff of freedom.
I realize now
that it’s not all about me,
which is a great relief
and a heavy burden lifted off of my shoulders.
I can breathe much more easily now,
and really brush things off,
rather than stuffing them
only to see them rear their ugly heads
at some unexpected time in the future.
A lot of it
has to do with patting my ego on the head
and putting her to bed,
realizing completely,
deep down to my core,
that I am not my ego at all . . .
the ego
is just something I drag along with me
so that I can survive in society.
This knowledge
is like seeing the wizard behind the screen,
who is really not the big, bad wolf,
but a little, bent over man
with levers in his hands,
making something out of smoke and mirrors. β₯
Very well put sparrow you have come very far!
I have also learned this through meditation. Itβs an amazing awakening to see that it has to be let go of. When we choose to let go over and over and truly surrender we are free. Thank you for your very thoughtful post .
Don’t give me compliments,
dear Antoinette . . .
I am by no means
done yet. π
Sparrow please take the complement. Iβm sure you have grown as a person by the path of gratitude as well. Be kind and gentle with yourself. We all have upsets and struggles, progress doesnβt always come like we expect.
Choosing to not drag your ego around with is definitely awesome! π
Thank you so much,
dear Antoinette
for your very kind reply.
Like you,
I tend to be hard on myself,
and respond well
when people who care about me
gently remind me
to do the same for myself
with love . . .
sparrow
Life is not happening to me, it is happening as me.
Ha Ha . . .
yes! π
I am unlearning the negative patterns that have held me back for so long. I am unlearning the need to make myself feel small. I am unlearning the pessimistic beliefs Iβve developed from a young age. The more I become undone, the more I become. And for that, I am grateful ππ
“The more I become undone, the more I become.”
Beautiful,
dear Jenifer . . .
I will remember this.
Thank you. β₯
I may add that I need to unlearn everything I think and let it all go . Please help . Thank you π
Oh boy. It seems I have been in the process of unlearning for a while now. Habits, assumptions, judgments, unhealthy posture, self blame, concealing, and a few more things, Iβm sure.
I spent the first ten or so years learning habits, the next forty or so years reinforcing them, and the last five or so, unlearning them. Such is life I guess.
Indeed it is, Charlie. And yet, it all seems to be of value in our journey.π©·
Thank you for the ironic smile,
dear Charlie . . . π
I need to unlearn that my worth does not come from the validation of others. And I need to relearn and believe that I am lovable
Dear Antonia, I have spent way too much time trying to gain the approval of others
It does start to feel like I need their approval to know that I am lovable.
But that is just wrong.
I am lovable Antonia and so are you.
You are loved, lovable, & loving! π§‘
Old thought patterns that held me back. I’ll probably have to continue unlearning them, but at least I am aware that they do not serve me.
Good job sunnypatti that is the first step in letting go !
Yes! β₯
I continue to unlearn being harsh on myself.
Iβm working on that one to, Dreaβ₯οΈ
A lot of too much of fear and with it, too much of distance.
Thank you Oso I too need to let go of this .
My friend gave me a structured grateful journal about 8 weeks ago. The weekly reflection is ” what thoughts to let go of”
In looking over my 8 responses, I have to unlearn the feeling of inadequatcy, and that things are not right in my life.
This is awesome Yram ! These are negative minds we all have a must let go of . They are just thoughts and not Truth! Thank you π
I practiced unlearning sharing my opinion on numerous topics at a statewide conference. I focused on sharing historical pieces, then stood back to listen. Happy Monday allπ·
Listening is in such short supply, Carla. Congrats for bringing it to your gathering!π©·