Owning Your Truth
Approximately 4 minute read time.
"Owning your truth" means recognizing, accepting, and being honest about your personal experiences, feelings, beliefs, and perceptions. It's about understanding that your view of reality is shaped by your individual experiences and acknowledging these truths as valid for you, even if they differ from others' perspectives. Therefore, owning your truth is subjective to you.
This is an essential concept to embrace as you learn to take responsibility for your own thoughts and feelings, rather than conforming to external expectations or denying your own experiences. It's a call to live authentically and express oneself genuinely, standing firm in one’s personal reality and convictions, even when they are not universally shared or accepted.
But at some point, our subjective truth becomes too small for the person we are becoming, and we must evaluate and potentially redefine or release our personal beliefs to grow. Specifically, the beliefs we hold so firmly that we view them as the only "right" way, to the exclusion of other perspectives. We must each recognize when these tightly held subjective truths might be limiting or detrimental to our growth, relationships, and understanding of the world. And herein we are initiated into a quest to discern when our attachment to these beliefs is more about seeking validation or asserting dominance over differing viewpoints, rather than fostering genuine understanding and connection.
Letting go of our subjective truth, especially when we are deeply attached to it as the "right" way, is a complex process that involves self-awareness, openness, and sometimes a shift in perspective. Here are some signs that your subjective truth may no longer be serving you and considerations on how to navigate this realization:
Feeling Stuck or Unfulfilled: If clinging to your beliefs leaves you feeling stuck, frustrated, or unfulfilled, it may be a sign that your current perspective is no longer serving your growth or well-being.
Continual Conflict: Constantly finding yourself in conflict with others over your beliefs can be exhausting and may indicate that your attachment to being "right" is hindering your relationships and ability to connect with others.
Lack of Personal Growth: If your beliefs prevent you from considering new information, experiencing growth, or embracing change, they may be limiting your potential.
Dissonance Between Beliefs and Actions: When there's a significant gap between what you profess to believe and how you live your life, this dissonance can signal that your subjective truth is out of alignment with your deeper values or the "absolute truth" you mention.
Introspection and Examination: Take time to deeply examine your beliefs. Ask yourself why you hold them, what evidence supports them, and how they impact your life and relationships. This introspection can reveal whether your beliefs are based on fear, a need for control, or seeking validation from others.
Accessing the Absolute Truth: As you suggest, accessing the "absolute truth" involves a deep inner journey. It requires creating space to listen to your inner self, moving beyond the need to defend your viewpoint against others, and releasing the quest for external validation. Meditation, reflective practices, and open dialogue with diverse perspectives can facilitate this access.
Embracing Humility and Openness: Recognizing that we don't have all the answers and that our perspective is just one of many in a complex world can be liberating. It allows us to remain curious and open to growth, learning, and transformation.
Guidance and Support: Sometimes, navigating these waters can benefit from guidance, whether through conversation with trusted friends, seeking wisdom from various philosophies or spiritual traditions, or professional support like therapy or counseling.
Knowing when a subjective truth is no longer serving us often comes down to a deep, honest self-reflection on whether our beliefs are contributing to our growth, happiness, and ability to connect with others or if they are keeping us in a state of stagnation, isolation, or suffering. It's about aligning more closely with an innate sense of truth that resonates with the core of our being, fostering growth, compassion, and understanding both for ourselves and others.
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