I don’t want to tell the truth.
Today I have to make a two minute speech about The Quest to the other students and staff at the School for Social Entrepreneurs.
I almost left the course over this. I contemplated withdrawing from The
Quest over this.
I don’t want to stand up and talk about the Quest.
Why?
Because I will have to tell the truth.
The truth is ugly. It isn’t pretty. The truth is painful and it hurts.
Why would I want to do that?
I’ve spent my life hiding, avoiding, running away, covering up. I’m good at it.
But now I have to stand up and drop all that and reveal the painful truth.
Because that’s what The Quest is about. Dropping the pretence.
So today I am having to do what we ask participants to do during the weekend workshop- allow the mask to drop. ( And I am dreading it.)
And why am I going to do that?
Because hiding doesn’t work. It leads to depression, addiction, acting out, suicide.
Hiding is incredibly hard work, it takes enormous energy and ultimately it fails anyway.
Only by shining light on the darkness can we help it to dissolve.
(Shame is like fungus- it grows in the dark.)
Only by facing the one thing I don’t want to face do I cease to be it’s victim.
Only by dropping the armour I think will protect me can I truly be victorious.
It’s counter intuitive but it’s true.
The antidote to shame is not pride it is honesty.
Martin Luther King said ‘the truth will set you free’
Even when the truth is painful and ugly it is still the pathway to freedom.
The next Weekend workshop kicks off on Friday 25th May.
Participants need to register by Friday 18th May.
