When did we learn to hide?
Probably most of us learned to hide when we were so young that we cannot even remember.
We hid because
we felt unwelcome,
or afraid,
or because we were trying to earn love.
We hid because we loved our parents.
And somehow we felt that if we came out of hiding we would upset or worry them.
Hiding became a habit,
unconscious,
and seemingly effortless.
As adults, we can find forty thousand reasons to continue hiding.
"It's too late."
"We might hurt someone."
"We have responsibilities now."
We can try to change our thinking but this does not always work.
Since our hiding came before organised thought or even words,
it does not respond to reasoning.
It does however respond to gentle daily stretches.
The Quakers have a beautiful saying "bringing the invisible into the light."
What invisible part of you could you bring into the light today?
What hidden part of you could you give a gentle stretch?
Could you allow the hidden part of you that desperately wants to give up a responsibility, a 20 minute break and an ice-cream?
Could you walk away from a conversation that bores or irritates you, instead of being 'polite'?
Could you allow your hidden self a safe outing?
I think you could and I really wish you would!
Find simple ways to say yes to you in the Happy Book
Probably most of us learned to hide when we were so young that we cannot even remember.
We hid because
we felt unwelcome,
or afraid,
or because we were trying to earn love.
We hid because we loved our parents.
And somehow we felt that if we came out of hiding we would upset or worry them.
Hiding became a habit,
unconscious,
and seemingly effortless.
As adults, we can find forty thousand reasons to continue hiding.
"It's too late."
"We might hurt someone."
"We have responsibilities now."
We can try to change our thinking but this does not always work.
Since our hiding came before organised thought or even words,
it does not respond to reasoning.
It does however respond to gentle daily stretches.
The Quakers have a beautiful saying "bringing the invisible into the light."
What invisible part of you could you bring into the light today?
What hidden part of you could you give a gentle stretch?
Could you allow the hidden part of you that desperately wants to give up a responsibility, a 20 minute break and an ice-cream?
Could you walk away from a conversation that bores or irritates you, instead of being 'polite'?
Could you allow your hidden self a safe outing?
I think you could and I really wish you would!
Find simple ways to say yes to you in the Happy Book
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