5 Lies I’ve Told Myself

There is this voice, one that sidles up beside me when I’m tired, burnt out or just plain vulnerable, and tells me how much I suck. That voice? Is a big, fat liar. It’s lying to me. And yours is lying to you. I can say this with confidence because that voice has been hissing in my ear since before there was MTV (In other words, I’m kinda old).

No matter how much you to resist, no matter how awesome you think you are at any given moment, that voice knows all of those tender spots, even the ones you think have long been hardened over with a veneer of chocolate, trash TV, advanced degrees and maybe even a little cosmetic surgery (or is that just me?).

Here are the top five big fat lies I’ve told myself, and why they are bullshit:

You can’t. A wise woman once said to me, “Can’t is a coward who’s not willing to try.” That is gospel truth. If you want it, you can. If it’s important to you, you will. Can’t simply blocks the path to your hopes and dreams. Shove it out of the way and keep going. Do the same if the can’t comes from someone else. Maybe they can’t, but you can.

You should. Why? Because someone else said so? Because that’s what everyone else is doing? Remember when your mother asked you if you would jump off of a bridge because everyone else was? Yes, she said that when you were doing something dangerous, but the same applies when following your own muse. Don’t should on yourself. Figure out you want and pursue it. That’s your only obligation.

You’ll never. You never will if you don’t try, that is for certain. The most important thing you can do is begin. Whether you reach your goals or not is beside the point. Goals change and life will lead you in different directions. You cannot take a journey without taking that first step. Focus on doing and the rest will follow.

They think. Unless you can read minds, chances are you are wrong, especially when it comes to what someone thinks about you. Because, honestly, they probably don’t think about you much. This is no reflection on you; it’s just a fact of life. We’re all too involved in our own lives to give much thought to most other people. Relax and stop worrying about everyone else. Focus on what you think about you.

There’s something wrong with you. There’s nothing wrong with you. Different is not wrong. Unique is not wrong. You are just as you are supposed to be; anyone who does not like you for you is not someone you need in your life.

What other lies have you told yourself and why are they bullshit?

Photo credit: Tilemahos Efthimiadis

About the Writer

Megan Gordon is a professional writer, amateur photographer and intermittent dreamer. She’s the proud new owner of the review site Buy-Her.com and wants to add a peaceful moment of beauty to your day with her photo blog. She usually shuts up that whore of a voice by laughing her ass off (yes, it burns a respectable 10-40 calories per 15 minutes) with her girlfriends and the occasional Colin Farrell movie marathon (who can be sad when you’re looking at that face?).