Hello and welcome to Find Your Way, the podcast. I’m your host Gena McLean, author of the book Find Your Way and writer under the name Seeker and Sage. It’s a joy to be bringing this content to you, and my hope is that it finds its way into your mind and heart, nourishing you and supporting you as you find your way.  

Chapter 2 look within. 

You know what you need, and you know who you are. Open up to the wisdom and truth within you and trust what you feel here, sense and see. 

I’m going to read the second entry from this chapter which is on page 46 and it’s called back yourself. 

So many of us can easily step into the supporter role, championing others when they are struggling, but we often desert ourselves in our own time of need. 

We doubt our abilities, so much so that we can turn against ourselves, lashing out with harsh self-talk and unconscious reactions that reject our needs and damage our already fragile sense of self. Instead of supporting who we are where we’re at and what we’re trying to achieve, we end up devaluing, undermining, and eroding our self esteem and our efforts. 

When we’re facing a challenge, we need to reinforce our allegiance to ourselves – be loyal and devoted to our well being, our path and our plight. But we frequently fall victim to our fears. 

If we are going to navigate change successfully, coming through it not just intact but richer for the experience, we need to believe in and back ourselves. 

You need to know that no matter how high the mountain or slippery the slope, you’re with you, and for you, supporting yourself all the way. You need to be the champion for your own cause, believing in your ability to make it through. 

You need to tell yourself you will find a way no matter how discouraging the odds, because your voice, thoughts, feelings and beliefs about you will make all the difference to how you make it through this transition. 

There is no one who needs your belief and backing more than you. 

May I believe in myself and be loyal to my cause and my efforts. 

So this entry speaks to the concept of self belief and as I know from my own lived experience, and I’m sure you can relate, it’s so easy to doubt ourselves when we’re going through a hard time, or a struggle, or a challenge. And it’s easy to turn on ourselves and start talking to ourselves in negative and harsh tones and it’s really easy to not be there for ourselves, not take care of our needs and our well being in general. 

So that’s what this entry is all about, it’s a bit of a pep talk I know but the reason I say that with tenderness is because everything you read in this book I have said to myself, it would have come through in my writings in my morning pages, or in my journaling that I do every single day, basically. And some time a couple of years ago, I don’t recall exactly which event would have provoked this, but at some point I was challenged and I have woken up and realized that I am someone who is always supporting others. And that it was time to be the supporter, the head cheerleader for my plight, my course, to be there for myself, just like I have been for so many other people. And I can honestly tell you that this book wouldn’t be here and I wouldn’t be making this podcast if I didn’t back myself. I do forget sometimes and I am happily reminded by those people I come across in my life or reading some of the entries in this book. 

But it took what it took for me to realize that my self belief was so important if I wanted to keep going on the path and go after the things I really wanted to go after and create this book, create this podcast, I couldn’t do it if I didn’t believe in myself. 

So it is really important that we do back ourselves, and even if it’s not to go after the dream job or the dream goal, it is to get through the challenge or the change – that’s when it really, really matters that you can find it within yourself to say to yourself “I may not know how I’m going to get there, but I believe that I will make it.” 

I’d also like to read the entry on page 56 that’s titled Truth Be told. 

Change is definitely a disruptor, bringing chaos great and small to our outer circumstances and our inner world. Truths we didn’t know existed can surface, shocking us with their aptness and clarity, some delivering great relief and comfort, while others will send us into fear and hiding. 

But we cannot navigate life successfully if we don’t tell ourselves the truth about what we want, how we feel, who we are, where we’re at and what needs to change.

Besides, how will we ever live our happiest and most meaningful life if we continue to deceive ourselves? 

With an intention of compassion and our complete awareness, we must admit to ourselves, honestly and sincerely what it is we are seeing. 

We speak the truth about our feelings and about what’s going on for us. No holding back. 

Whatever comes up – insights into old wounds, heartfelt longings, our deepest fears – we tell the truth about it.

Lasting fulfilling change can only happen when we are honest with ourselves. 

If we had to live authentically and with integrity we must tell ourselves the truth and live by it. And if we want strong relationships based on trust with people we can be honest and intimate with, then we must first and foremost, be honest with ourselves. 

Expressing our truth may upset the apple cart, but if we don’t, we rob ourselves of the life we came here to live. 

Whatever truth you have discovered is worthy of your validation. Honor yourself by making room for it. 

May I be honest with myself and tell the truth about what I’m experiencing.

Now there’s a couple of hard hitting lines in there. I feel them when I read them and I would like to repeat them. 

We cannot navigate life successfully if we don’t tell ourselves the truth about what we want, how we feel, who we are, where we’re at, and what needs to change. 

I mean, this could be a whole book in and of itself really that’s how I feel as I read this to you today. 

Whatever comes up, we tell the truth about. We need to be honest with ourselves. 

Whatever truth you discover when you do this process is worthy of your validation, honor yourself by making room for it. 

If you haven’t already got this book in your hot little hands, what I want you to know is that I’m pretty big on validation – self validation – and I’m pretty big on honoring the journey so me honoring mine and you honoring yours. 

So a couple of those big bold statements are there because of that and I say them because I fully believe in them and I know what a difference it’s made in my life and my journey when I have been honest with myself. Even if I don’t share that straight up with other people, I first and foremost need to be honest with myself. But once I’ve done that, I need to validate what I find and how I feel. And I know that’s not easy for so many people, including me, I’m still doing it, 

I am a work in progress and a work in process as are you. But we have to begin somewhere sometime and I’m guessing that that time could be now. 

So it’s a big one, telling the truth, that is this entry. But I really hope that when you hear these words or if you have the book when you read these words, you find the permission that you need to speak the truth about where you’re at and who you are and what you need. 

This chapter is called look within and every entry invites you to do that, and encourages you. 

I encourage you to do that, because this is your life. 

Thank you for being here. 

Thank you for listening. 

It’s an honor to have you with me.