Are you open to and able to hear hard truths?
Reread the question and pause before you answer. Quiet your immediate knee-jerk first reply. You are the only one who will know your answer, so please be honest with yourself.
Unearthing is work. Part of that work is to open yourself to hard truths and be willing to get incredibly uncomfortable with where your answers lead you.
Are you open to and able to hear hard truths?
Are you able to hear the hard truth and accept it? More, are you willing to put in the work if what the hard truth reveals indicates a change is needed?
A reminder: You are the only one who will know your answer, so be honest with yourself.
Although I wouldn’t rule out others, I think there are three ways hard truths are delivered, for lack of a better word. These are from you to another, from another to you, and from within yourself.
You may have noticed that I am a forthright person, especially if you have been reading my blogs or have read my book (You’re Not Alone). I was no different when I was a personal trainer. Several times after a new member consultation, I felt it necessary to deliver a hard, professional truth candidly and kindly. In several instances, the new members had stated they needed to make physical and nutritional changes. They and their doctor had determined the need to do so because their quality of life was compromised. But when the conversation turned to the cost of personal training and/or nutrition coaching, many of them balked.
My hard truth to these members was to state what they couldn’t bring themselves to face until someone was forthright with them. I kindly and straightforwardly said that they needed to decide what a healthy quality of life was worth to them—they could spend the money now, or they would eventually spend it later when hospitalization, surgery, or long-term care was needed. This was the hard truth that most thanked me for giving, and they chose to start working with me or another personal trainer.
Not too long ago, a sister of my heart expressed a hard truth to me. She told me I was allowed to grieve the fact that I did not have the housing choices I was hoping for, but I had to make a decision. She kindly and factually stated that my decision did not have to be permanent, but I needed to decide.
I had to pause and quiet my immediate knee-jerk first reply. Honestly, I needed a few days to calm my thoughts and emotions enough to open to this reality. And as difficult as it was, I needed to hear what my heart-sister bluntly and lovingly told me. I am grateful each day for her hard truth because I am living in a place I can call home.
Then, there are the hard truths discovered from within ourselves. These can flow into our awareness as gently as a feather landing, those ah-ha moments of a light turning on. Or, they can land with a harsh and startling impact, like waking with a sudden jolt.
However these hard truths arrive, I think they come when you are open to seeing previously accepted and established patterns for what they are and are ready to let them fall away to reveal the beautiful and unique person you are.
I’ll repeat what I said at the beginning of this blog. Unearthing is work. Part of that work is to open yourself to hard truths and be willing to get incredibly uncomfortable with where your answers lead you.
My friend, may you open yourself to hard truths and courageously step forward to what awaits you.
Xoxo,
Judy
