We Have All The Answers

I’m not a mother, but there is a philosophy I like- it’s called Resources for Infant Education, or RIE. This school of thought attracted me because of its core values. One of them is complete trust in the child, starting from infancy, that they are explorers and initiators in their own learning and they learn what they are ready for. Because of this trust, parents are to only provide enough help so that the child can enjoy mastering their own actions. As it relates to my development as an adult, I see friends and family providing that support but ideally allowing us to find our own way, make our own mistakes, and learn to trust our selves.

I believe that inherently we know what is best for ourselves. We know what we should and should not eat, how much we should sleep, and if certain behavior is risky or not. We know when we aren’t feeling well and we can recognize when we have made mistakes. We know what college will be our best fit and we find jobs that we hope will give us fulfillment. We know what hobbies we enjoy and we know which people to stay away from. We know so much about our own needs and wants if we are allowed the space to explore and discover on our own.

I enjoy thinking about words, as you know, and question whether they are really the best fit for the stories we tell ourselves. A word I have been mulling over lately is stubborn. Stubborn can have a few meanings: unreasonably obstinate, fixed or set in purpose, resolute, unyielding, difficult to manage or suppress. Truthfully, most of these are OK to me! I think it’s a good thing to be set in a purpose or opinion. We are allowed to feel all that we feel. We are allowed to have our own opinions, and we can be sure in our understanding of what is best for us.

I like the word resolute. I think about determination and perseverance when I hear this word. I envision someone looking straight off into the horizon, standing in the sun. I see a person navigating the twists and turns of life with flexibility, yet still keeping an eye on their end goal.

If we are given the space and time to trust ourselves, we can find our own answers. With some introspection and reflection, we can listen and look inwards. We have the answers; we hear them all the time. We have a gut that speaks to us. We can believe in it. We don’t need someone else to tell us what to do. We can be confident in our needs and wants. We do in fact know what is best for our selves.

WTF is stopping you from trusting yourself?

Comments Welcome!

I started my blog for me. I wanted to tell my story in a more permanent way, but never really had intentions of sharing it beyond a few close friends. However, it became apparent that sharing it was indeed the next step of my story. Since sharing it, I have received phone calls, emails and texts from friends and family either lending support or divulging their own stories. I have felt so honored to be trusted with these sentiments.

I feel that the next step in my blog is to create a space for readers to share their thoughts and feelings about particular posts. I ask myself many questions throughout this blog, and I try to leave the post with a question for you to ponder. My hope is that through my own thinking and processing, I can connect with the feelings of others and quietly remind them they are not alone. Sometimes knowing there is another person experiencing similar feelings is very validating, or so I have found.

If you wish to contribute to my story through your comments, I only ask that you write with compassion. We are all fighting our own fight. I hope that we can all connect with each other more and feel encouraged and loved through our own vulnerability. Let’s be brave together.

WTF do you want to share?