How to Find Your True Self in Our Crazy World
Who are you? How do you find your true self in today’s image-obsessed, consumeristic, fast-paced society, we can easily lose touch with our authentic selves. We strive for unrealistic ideals or suppress parts of ourselves to fit in.
Without realizing it, we take on inauthentic character traits and coping behaviors that cover up our true natures. This leads to disconnection, distress, and illness. Both our minds and bodies suffer.
The good news is that you can find your way back home and reconnect with your true self. By embracing vulnerability, reflecting deeply, and making courageous choices guided by self-awareness and authenticity, you can peel back the layers built up over years of self-protection.
This requires radical self-honesty and the willingness to face pain to heal. The rewards are immense freedom, joy, and wholeness.
As Dr. Gabor Maté explains, the chaotic world we live in breeds disconnection from self. The result is a prevalence of addiction, depression, anxiety, autoimmune disorders, and cancer.
However, if we have “eyes to see,” even our wounding can guide us inward to self-discovery. By learning to say no to inauthentic demands and listening to the whispers of our soul, we can live as the creative, connected beings we were meant to be.
Trauma Disconnects Us from Our Authentic Selves
From the time we enter this chaotic world as vulnerable infants, trauma shapes us in profound ways. Whether severe or subtle, trauma leaves its imprint not only on our minds but also on our physiology.
When we don’t get the nurturing we need, we instinctively build coping strategies and adaptive behaviors to survive. The problem is, that these coping mechanisms often hide us from ourselves.
I see this every day in my practice. Sensitive souls who have endured criticism, neglect, or abuse in childhood shut down parts of themselves. They repress emotions like anger and sadness because expressing them brings punishment.
They split off from their body’s signals because attending to their own needs only led to shame. Highly intuitive children learned to ignore their gut instincts to fit in with family dynamics and cultural rules.
Over time, we forget who we truly are beneath these hardened layers of protection. We lose touch with the spirited, curious, wild creatures we once were, whose emotions flowed freely.
We take on traits and narratives about being “too sensitive” or “too selfish” when we listen within. Addictive behaviors often take hold as we try to numb our distress.
The result is we all wear societally shaped “masks” designed to help us survive childhood. Yet what we needed to endure back then disconnects us from our deepest longings now.
Our true voices remain buried under years of adaptation. Is it any wonder anxiety, depression and disease are so pervasive when most of us are estranged from our souls?
The first step is simply noticing these patterns playing out, both internally and all around. With radical honesty and self-compassion, we must unravel the underlying stories – “I must always be nice and helpful” or “It’s selfish if I say no.” What we perceive as “weaknesses” are gateways to transformation, if we dare to open those gates.
Trauma Leads to the Development of Coping Mechanisms That Hide our True Self
The coping behaviors our wounded inner children developed to survive often persist into adulthood, obscuring our true selves.
I see clients numbing their loneliness through drinking, shopping compulsively when they feel empty inside, or escaping into social media any time emotions get triggered. These strategies offer temporary relief but lead to self-betrayal in the long run.
Addictions in particular help us avoid psychic pain we don’t know how to handle. Whether to alcohol, drugs, sex, work, or chronic busyness, addictions arise when we cannot embrace our vulnerability. They serve a function – to protect exiles who don’t feel safe in this world. Our innermost self stays locked away.
Sometimes painful symptoms show us we’ve strayed from our soul’s calling. Migraines, back spasms, autoimmune flare-ups, insomnia, anxiety attacks – these manifest when we chronically override the body’s signals.
Our perfectionistic over-functioning cuts us off from our natural rhythms. Physical and emotional breakdowns call us to pay attention, restore balance and honor what we really need.
Other times, denying any weakness keeps us oblivious to our inner world. We hide behind success, materialism, and intellect – layers of ego that insulate us from facing past trauma.
Outwardly we look fine, while inwardly we feel lifeless, joyless, anxious or enraged. Only by embracing the dark can we reclaim the light. The parts of us we deem ugly, disgusting, or unacceptable hold richness waiting to be unearthed.
As Carl Jung proclaimed, “Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” The coping mechanisms born of trauma keep us oblivious to who we are outside the roles we play. Yet when we courageously unearth our shadows, we not only heal our pain – we reveal our greatest gifts to the world.
These Coping Mechanisms Manifest as Mental Illness and Physical Symptoms
The coping behaviors we adopt to deal with childhood trauma plant seeds that can bloom into suffering later on. Repressing our true emotions and ignoring the body’s signals takes a heavy toll over time.
Scattered thinking, anxiety, depression, addictions, rage attacks, and psychosomatic pain represent the bill coming due.
I see sensitive souls dealing with:
The common thread is a past full of emotional neglect, enmeshment, criticism, abuse, shame, or coercion. When parents fail to provide a secure attachment in childhood, we lack the foundations vital for navigating difficulties later.
Even well-meaning families pass wounds through generations unconsciously.
The sensitive and imaginative child adapts by constructing a false self-designed to keep caretakers’ love. Once this defensive identity solidifies, abandoning it causes tremendous anxiety no matter how limiting it becomes. Only through the slow but radical dismantling of old narratives can we establish new neural pathways aligned with truth.
While no one desires these outcomes, we must softly trace back chaotic behaviors or chronic issues to their origins. There we discover not mental illness, but the contours of an intelligent psyche attempting self-protection in an imperfect world.
With tenderness for all parts of ourselves, we can rewrite limiting stories and reclaim wholeness.
Disconnection from Self Starts Early Through a Lack of Emotional Support and Freedom
Disconnection from our innate wholeness begins early in childhood due to lack of consistent emotional support and freedom to express all parts of ourselves.
Children thrive when parents can attune to their needs, hold space for big feelings, empathize even when behaviors seem irrational, and convey unconditional positive regard. Alas, even caring parents may lack the wherewithal or self-awareness to provide this sanctuary.
Without such complete nurturing, children intuitively learn to hide aspects of themselves deemed “too much” or unacceptable. The sensitive child who needs extra downtime gets labeled as lazy.
The intense toddler prone to emotional meltdowns gets shamed as a “drama queen.” The mild-mannered boy says “Boys don’t cry” stuff frustration until it erupts in fits of rage. The budding non-conformist teen rebels the only way she knows how – through sex, drugs, and defiance.
In response to punishment, lack of mirroring, and neglect of their emotional worlds, young people suppress vulnerability and construct egos fortified to navigate invalidating environments.
They lose trust in the truth of their own experiences. Confusion sets in around what they feel versus what authorities say they Should feel. This war within the self alienates them from their inner compass.
No matter how loving the individual parents are, society’s collective shadow seeps into child-rearing. We unconsciously internalize cultural complexes around scarcity, competition, force, and greed.
Children inheriting ancestral wounds absorb common toxic myths – that domination leads to security, ruthlessness garners success, or displaying strength and minimizing weakness makes one invulnerable. Such faulty maps disconnect us from our essence which knows we belong, have enough, and thrive through cooperation.
Healing this rift requires re-parenting ourselves with the unconditional love our inner child yearns for. By listening to our body’s signals and the psyche’s symbols, we can dismantle old defenses and fulfill unmet needs from within.
We must compassionately examine each false belief still shaping our behaviors so we can realign with soul truth. For it is only by shedding inauthentic identities that we can stand strong in our wholeness.
Society Rewards and Propagates Inauthentic Versions of Ourselves
Once estranged from inner truth as a youth, we enter adulthood naive to the cultural forces that further entrench façades of self. Consumerism, mechanistic science, and competition permeate modern life, orienting us to physical image, material wealth, and ego gratification.
Corporations skillfully manipulate subconscious desires, keeping us addicted to external quick fixes that are never fulfilling. We strive to become better, richer, prettier versions of ourselves, yet the standards constantly raise the bar just out of reach.
This futile race depends upon us remaining ignorant of our perfection as is – and is key to the system’s survival.
Everywhere we turn, messages define our worth through metrics of net worth, status, or sexual appeal rather than essence, wisdom, or virtuous action. Celebrity culture celebrates narcissism and antisocial behaviors from those dissociated from meaning.
With standards warped to the tippy top of Maslow’s hierarchy, self-improvement becomes an endless chore as goalposts continually shift. Preoccupied with getting and spending, having and proving, we listen less for the soul’s quiet yearnings for purpose and belonging.
Caught in the trance of keeping up and people-pleasing, we betray the wild spirit within that wants to rest, connect with humanity, create beauty, or contemplate existence.
We override intuition with the familiar busyness of maintaining some ideal image. Passivity keeps us willingly participating even while the machine depletes our life force.
To resist the sinister hypnotism, we must courageously question internalized narratives of lack dressed up as ambition, workaholism as virtue, beauty as value, and busyness as status – all key drivers of disconnection from Self.
Tuning into the body and psyche’s messages helps us discern society’s deceptions from our authentic desires. This level of dissent requires reprogramming neural pathways – yet as we drop false identities, we gain the freedom to walk our unique soul path.
The Path Back to Self Requires Embracing Our Vulnerability and Letting Go
In a world where we often find ourselves lost in external validation and societal expectations, finding our true selves can be a challenging yet rewarding journey. The path to self-discovery is not a straight line; it involves embracing our vulnerabilities and learning to let go of what no longer serves us.
Embracing Vulnerability: The Gateway to Self-Discovery
Vulnerability is often perceived as a weakness, but it is a strength. It’s about opening ourselves to experiences and emotions that we may typically avoid or suppress. By embracing our vulnerabilities, we allow ourselves to fully experience life, with all its ups and downs. This process can be uncomfortable, but it’s essential for growth.
Letting Go: The Art of Moving Forward
Letting go is an integral part of finding our true selves. It involves releasing what we cling to for comfort but hinders our progress.
Finding our true selves is a journey of embracing our vulnerabilities and learning to let go. It’s about being authentic, accepting change, and releasing what no longer serves us. By doing so, we open ourselves to a world of possibilities and a deeper understanding of who we are.
Healing Happens Through Authenticity, Agency, Anger and Acceptance
The journey to self-healing is multifaceted, involving a balance of authenticity, personal agency, the expression of anger, and acceptance. Each of these elements plays a vital role in the healing process, helping us to reconnect with our true selves and find inner peace.
Embracing Authenticity: The Courage to Be Yourself
Authenticity is about being true to ourselves, our values, and our beliefs. It’s a commitment to living genuinely, even when it goes against societal norms or expectations.
Cultivating Agency: Taking Charge of Your Life
Agency is about taking control of our lives and making decisions that align with our true selves. It empowers us to shape our destiny.
Navigating Anger: A Powerful Emotion for Change
Anger, often seen as a negative emotion, can be a catalyst for positive change when expressed healthily.
Finding Peace in Acceptance
Acceptance is about acknowledging and coming to terms with the realities of our lives, including aspects we cannot change.
In summary, healing happens through a combination of authenticity, agency, the healthy expression of anger, and acceptance. These elements enable us to confront and overcome challenges, leading to a more fulfilling and balanced life.
Our Wounding Can Lead Us Back to Our True Nature If We Have Eyes to See
In our journey through life, our experiences of wounding, whether emotional, physical, or psychological, often serve as catalysts for a deeper understanding of ourselves.
This concept, which might seem paradoxical at first, aligns with the idea that there’s a certain intelligence in nature, that guides us through our challenges to bring us closer to our true selves.
The Intelligence of Nature in Our Wounding
Nature, in its intricate design, seems to have an inherent intelligence that orchestrates our life experiences, including our moments of pain and suffering.
This intelligence isn’t necessarily divine in a traditional sense, but rather, it’s a natural force that seeks to lead us toward authenticity. It’s as if nature has equipped us with these experiences to push us toward a deeper understanding of who we are and what we truly need.
Suffering Into Truth
The idea that we must suffer for truth finds its roots in ancient philosophy and has been echoed through the ages. It suggests that our struggles and wounds are not meaningless; instead, they have a purpose.
They force us to confront aspects of ourselves and our lives that we might otherwise ignore or suppress. This confrontation, while painful, is necessary for us to access deeper truths about our nature.
Disease and Discomfort as Wake-Up Calls
Interestingly, many people find that their greatest moments of self-realization and clarity come during their most challenging times, such as facing a disease or a life-altering event.
These moments, though fraught with difficulty, can serve as wake-up calls, summoning us back to ourselves and helping us discern what truly matters in life. They can lead to profound shifts in perspective and priorities, aligning us more closely with our true nature.
Embracing Vulnerability and the Teachings of Nature
Vulnerability is a constant companion in our lives, from birth until death. Recognizing and accepting this vulnerability is not just essential; it is transformative.
It’s through acknowledging our capacity to be wounded that we open ourselves to growth and learning. Nothing in nature grows without vulnerability, and similarly, our personal growth is intertwined with our ability to embrace and learn from our vulnerabilities.
Our wounds, struggles, and vulnerabilities are not mere obstacles to be overcome. Instead, they are integral parts of our journey, guiding us back to our true selves.
It’s through these experiences that we gain access to a deeper understanding of who we are and what we are meant to be. The key is to have the eyes to see these experiences not as mere hardships but as opportunities for profound personal growth and self-discovery.
Freedom to Be Our True Selves Allows Joy and Ends Suffering
The pursuit of freedom, in its many forms, is deeply entwined with our quest for happiness and the alleviation of suffering. At the heart of this pursuit is the desire for the freedom to be our true selves, a concept that resonates deeply with our intrinsic nature as human beings.
The Pursuit of Authenticity and Freedom
The pain of self-suppression often outweighs the discomfort of letting go of certain attachments. This struggle points to an underlying intelligence in our nature that yearns for authenticity.
It’s an innate desire to express ourselves freely, unburdened by the weight of societal expectations or our own unconscious emotions. This freedom is not just a personal aspiration but forms the essence of much of the great work done in the world.
The Role of Freedom in Personal Liberation
Freedom, in its broader sense, encompasses various aspects of life – political, economic, social, and emotional. The journey of personal liberation involves not just freeing oneself from external constraints but also from the shackles of our unconscious emotions.
This liberation allows us to live authentically, aligning our actions with our true self and desires.
Rediscovering the Self Through Freedom
In our relationships and interactions, we often present an inauthentic version of ourselves, shaped by our inability or unwillingness to confront and express our true feelings and desires.
Reclaiming our true selves often involves shedding these inauthentic layers. This process of rediscovery can lead to the development of more genuine relationships and a life that truly resonates with who we are.
The Transformative Power of Awareness
Awareness plays a crucial role in this journey towards freedom. As we gain awareness of our true nature and the patterns that have held us back, we unlock a level of freedom that profoundly transforms our lives.
This transformation is not just a personal achievement but contributes to the collective good, resonating with others and inspiring similar journeys of self-discovery and liberation.
The freedom to discover our true selves is a powerful force that brings joy and puts an end to suffering. It’s a journey that involves shedding the layers of inauthenticity, embracing our vulnerabilities, and allowing ourselves to live in alignment with our deepest truths and desires.
This path, while challenging, is profoundly rewarding and is essential to our personal and collective well-being.
Final Takeaway
As we come to the end of this exploration into the depths of our true selves, it’s clear that the journey to self-discovery and healing is both challenging and enriching.
We’ve delved into the importance of embracing vulnerability, the transformative power of authenticity, and the liberating experience of living as our true selves. These insights pave the way for a life filled with deeper understanding, joy, and fulfillment.
Now, the path lies open for you to take the first, most crucial step. It’s a journey that requires courage, commitment, and guidance. This is where Master Coach Vishnu Ra comes into the picture, offering a guiding light through the complexities of this journey.
Why Choose Master Coach Vishnu Ra?
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You don’t have to walk this path alone. Whether you’re seeking clarity, healing from past wounds, or simply striving to live a more authentic life, Master Coach Vishnu Ra is here to support you every step of the way.
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Namaste 🙂
