True Heart, Solid Boundaries

While not limited to the south, this cultural expectation of fawning, or excessive emotional giving, is loud here. Just as I was subtly, culturally taught to put others first and suppress my needs or desires, I witnessed another generation being subtly socially groomed, too. Two decades later, this learned behavior was reflected back to me through a new group of southern women and, now, the blinders were gone. I witnessed how a woman’s behavior makes others feel is considered more important than how she actually feels. I identified the prioritization of superficial bubbliness over genuine authenticity. It seemed like a woman’s worth was being measured by her ability to be in a constant state of happy rather than an honest state of authenticity. I learned that suppression was the norm and after that much ingraining in formulative years, maybe I should not have been surprised. But, I was. It is heartbreaking to watch young women suppress and conform, even in their energy.... The metamorphosis from playing small and expanding more fully includes healing beliefs, healing our relationship with ourselves and opens up the possibility for transformation in our relationships. Once we actively heal, we can shed lies that we have donned the title of truths, integrate the layers of our past and rewrite our authentic story. Facing the reality of who we are and shedding falsely held beliefs, we can finally see ourselves. On the other side of the healing journey through our feelings lies self-acceptance. If you are going through your own dark-night-of-the-soul journey, you are not alone. If you are coming to recognize that you have unhealthy patterns or just beginning to see a cycle that you are ready to break for yourself, welcome. In the pages that follow, the focus is on all interconnected parts of you – mind, body and soul along with steps you can take to find your inner strength, release stored-away emotions and arrive home within yourself. This is intended to purge an old version of yourself that does not line up with who you authentically are designed to be – one that served others but no longer sustainably and lovingly serves yourself. Dedication to the route of healing is producing who you are meant to be: an authentic you.