We live most of our lives inside of our own heads. As such, it is our job to tend to and nurture it, making it a nice, habitable place.
But how do we do that? To create a blossoming garden, we rid it of the weeds. Our internal weeds, in this case, exist in our conditioning from childhood in addition to societal and cultural expectations and standards.
As we grow up, we are ingrained with beliefs and ideas that often take us away from our authentic selves. To shift this, we must be aware of such processes. To do so, it is important that we question our own automatic thoughts and words. This includes our self-talk, the language we use each day, and our beliefs and judgments about ourselves and the world.
While this may seem like a daunting task, start small. Hold space for reflection and questioning by journaling, for example. Take time to challenge your own beliefs as they come up in each moment.
We grow into our perspectives based on what we have been told to believe over the years. We cannot find nor connect with our true authentic selves until we do the work to detach from such indoctrination.
How can you challenge yourself and the beliefs you hold to discover your most authentic self? Such freedom takes reflection, exploration, and questioning. As always, this work is never easy, but always worth it.
