“Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are.” I was immediately impacted by the deep meaning of a Chinese Proverb as it stared back at me off my social media newsfeed. As busy as I was that day, I took the time to fully take in the words. Powerful. Thank goodness we don’t have to be pigeonholed by our circumstances or labels society may pin on us! However, when was the last time you felt vulnerable or relaxed in who you are? How many times have we labeled ourselves by who we think we are or what others think of us? Are we a good mom/dad? Am I competent in my job? Am I a good daughter/son? Did I do enough to help others? Did I clean the house well enough? The list can go on! I’m sure you’ve also heard you are not your circumstance. You are not your cancer, you are not your divorce, you are not your bankruptcy, etc. It’s so easy to get caught up in an endless loop of feeling not perfect, not good enough. It’s so easy to do, just turn on the news or watch some advertisements! There are constant reminders telling us our teeth aren’t white enough, our hair isn’t long enough, and we really have to do something about covering up those age spots!
Louise Hay stated perfectly that when one has a disease, it simply means they aren’t at EASE in their body, mind, or soul. Where are you not at EASE? Who are you pretending to be? What are you not living up to? What is society telling you who you have to be? What are you judging yourself for? Are you holding in intense emotions such as guilt, pain, shame, or heartbreak? If so, you are not alone, but you do also have the choice in releasing it just the same. As our country gears up to celebrate the 4th of July, make sure to also celebrate who you truly are. Our country isn’t perfect, but it’s worth celebrating the annual birthday. Same as you, remember to FREE yourself to be who you are meant to be. You deserve the same amount of compassion, pride, and love that we hold for our country. After all, you aren’t perfect either, but you most definitely are worth it.
Rebekah Wolff
