A Game-Changing Tool Overlooked by Too Many

This time of year, we often think about changes. We ponder things or situations that changed in our world from January till now. We acknowledge the new people who came into our lives or those who left unceremoniously. We plot things we'd like to do differently in the new year, like our weight, our careers, or where we live. The problem is, too often the process ends there, with our thoughts. We don't turn those thoughts into actions that result in meaningful, positive change. We spend so much time in our heads "reflecting" that we don't plan the necessary adjustments in our behaviors to turn our lives around for the better. Unfortunately, I'm raising my hand as I type, because I've been just as guilty as you.

 

I want to share with you something that changed the game for me: Telling myself the truth. The truth about where I've been, what I really want, and the actions that I'm realistically going to work to change. It sounds simple enough, but it takes work, the kind of internal work and inventory that few of us are willing to tackle.

 

Honesty is a big part of my value system, so I strive to be truthful to others. Yet, I I didn't always hold the same standard when it came to myself, which created a barrier to the change I wanted to see in my life. I would deny my emotions, my needs, and my desires, feeling that they weren't justified or because I thought I shouldn't feel a certain way. Now I know better. When I acknowledge my past, my mistakes, my genuine feelings and desires, I'm taking a step toward progress. If I don't acknowledge that someone's words hurt my feelings, how can I expect to really heal the relationship? If I can't be truthful about my own mistakes, I'm just setting myself up to repeat them. If I can't pinpoint my own biases, offense, or skewed perspective, how can I expect to grow? If I downplay my wants, I'll continue to settle. Basically, if I don't embrace all of me, the good and the bad, how can I demand others to?

 

Ask those questions of yourself as we head into 2023. Then set your mind on being honest with the person in the mirror. Tell yourself the truth. Stop disrespecting your own destiny by denying what you know is true in your life. Most of all, pray for God to guide you, reveal His truth to you, and grant the grace necessary to face your life with raw honesty.