What is truth? What is your truth? Truth is saying what you know to be true for you, not based on beliefs, or what someone else said, it’s not based on fear of being judged or a need for control, it is Truth. It is truth about how you feel, truth about your ideas, or truth about who you are and what matters to you.

Saying your truth may be difficult to do, and understandably so, as you have been taught to not say your truth by society, parents, teachers, and an internal belief that you will not be liked if you do so. However, when you come from your place of truth, you are in your power, you are empowered, and you will find peace in that truth.

Here are some examples of speaking your truth vs. not:

”I need to be held right now” vs. “When are you going to show me you love me…”

”I feel hurt that you don’t return my calls” vs. “You must be so busy these days,
I never hear from you.”

Learning to say your truth is possible, and it is your authentic gift to the world. Try these tips in your daily life: 1. Become aware of when your words and/or actions are not matching up with what you know to be true inside. Your body will tell you when they are not congruent through physical signs like a knot in your stomach, a tightness in your chest, or feeling fidgety. 2. Remove the word “should” from your vocabulary. Should implies that you or they have done something wrong, or will do something wrong, and can be a form of guilt. Instead use the words, “I will”, “I choose”, or “I must.” 3. Be clear and direct with your words. No beating around the bush, or maybe’s or I guess’s, say what comes from within without the buffer words. 4. Avoid avoiding. Notice when you are avoiding someone because you know you need to say your truth. Step into that fear, and you’ll find it’s not has hard as you had projected it to be.

Suze Orman, a successful author and speaker, says: “Stand in your truth. It is your truth and your light to stand in and it brings a warmth and light to your life, but only you can step into it.” And what does it mean? “It means taking off the masks we wear. It means we stop worrying what others think. It means refusing to pretend to be anyone or anywhere we are not. It means being honest with others and ourselves and finding strength in that honesty. And it means having those tough conversations.”

To explore these tips and others in more detail on speaking your truth, and discover your own truth, Angela Patnode is presenting a workshop titled: “Speaking your Truth” on Saturday, November 12 from 9am-12pm at Yoga Motion Studio in the Emerson Cultural Center (this workshop does not involve yoga). For more information call 522-3884, email evolutionaryteachings@gmail.com, or go to www.evolutionaryteachings.com. The cost is $35.

Angela Patnode, through her business Evolutionary Teachings, offers classes, workshops, and consultations on helping you evolve in your daily life through connecting mind, body, heart, and spirit. Contact her for questions and interest in guiding you in authentic living, and discover your joy, balance, clarity, peace, and contentment.