Can You Handle The Truth?

There is famous scene in the movie A Few Good Men, where Jack Nicholson’s character angrily declares: “You can’t handle the truth!” Most of us can’t seem to, can we? We tell ourselves lies day in and day out, and after a while we come to believe them. Worse, we make excuses for ourselves or others that stop us from living full, healthy lives.

But it doesn’t have to be this way!

There’s a reason most recovery programs include a step where you need to take a full and honest inventory of yourself. Even if we are not in recovery, how long since most of us have really taken a long, hard look at ourselves, warts and all? We want to believe that we’re smarter, prettier, and more successful than we really are. That’s human nature. All of these lies and half-truths in our past are like a huge boulder weighing us down. But there’s a way to let go of it if we are willing to step outside that comfort zone!

Truth only reveals itself when one gives up all preconceived ideas ~ Shoseki

One way to do this is by writing it down. Writing is a simple and powerful tool, because it gives physical evidence and shows the universe we are willing to take that step. Whether you choose to journal or write it down on scraps of paper to be burned or flushed away, you’ll start to notice a difference.

Maybe you’re letting the pain of an old relationship hold you back from dating again. Start by writing down what it was that hurt you so badly, and how you felt about your former partner, and so forth. Nothing is out of bounds, especially if you’ll be getting rid of it later. If you’re feeling terrible, burn that piece of paper in a safe way. Look at how it is turned to ash; how it returns to the earth. You’ve let it go! It can’t return to hurt you.

If you’re not a writer, try meditation. Mantras such as “I unburden myself of,” or “Today I am letting go of…,” are a good place to start. Since we come to believe what we repeat, this is the perfect way to re-program ourselves. Speaking the words aloud, like writing, is also a way for our higher power to hear our intentions. You’ll also notice a physical difference, along with an emotional one, if you incorporate meditation into your daily routine.

An unbelieved truth can hurt a man much more than a lie. It takes great courage to back truth unacceptable to our times. There’s a punishment for it, and it’s usually crucifixion ~ John Steinbeck

Many of us carry physical reminders of our painful pasts, like jewelry or photos. If you can, get rid of these items. If you’re feeling guilty about throwing them away, donate them to a good cause. For the majority of us, out of sight really is out of mind.

Our pasts make us who we are today, but we also have the power to reinvent ourselves every minute of every day. We can make the choice to look forward instead of behind us. When we drive our cars, for instance, it’s a good idea to use our rear-view mirrors, but much more important to focus on what it in front of us.

Use these visual metaphors to keep moving forward along with your regular meditation practice. Practice living in the here and now, and you will start to lose the painful memories of your past!