Shifting Perceptions of Reality

“It is not what happens to us that matters as much as our perception of what happens to us.” ~ Epictetus Each person’s experience of reality differs based on his or her experiences in life leading to the present moment. That is why four people witnessing the same event will report slightly (or drastically) different … Read more

Trust: Of Self and Others

Honesty, truth, trust . . . These traits all come together in us in some way. Like pieces in a puzzle, they link together creating an image of who we are and how we view the people and events around us. As children, if we were, for instance, frightened by loud arguments but told by … Read more

Honesty

“A man who lies to himself, and believes his own lies, becomes unable to recognize truth, either in himself or anyone else, and he ends up losing respect for himself and for others. “ Fyodor Dostoyevsky Level II in the Integrity Recovery Workbook (IRW) focuses on honesty. Dishonesty can be seen as a survival charade … Read more

Awareness

“I think the key to transforming your life is to be aware of who you are.” ~ Deepak Chopra Following up on the discussion on ‘survival charades’, a lot of us have spent most of our lives being someone that we aren’t, and so we do not have awareness of who we actually are. Many … Read more

Survival Charades and How They Interfere with Authenticity

“We have to dare to be ourselves, however frightening or strange that self may prove to be.” ~ May Sarton Addiction, depression, and anxiety are both cause and effect of inauthentic living, as are all sorts of survival charades. According to The Integrity Recovery Workbook (IRW, D. Blackwood, 2014) many people have developed false selves … Read more