Never Alone

Let's re-evaluate the belief of "I am alone". ⁣ ⁣

I wrote the lines in the image above in yesterday's reflection, but I think it's worth extracting them from the sea of words of that post in order to emphasize how destructive this seemingly innocuous phrase is. ⁣ ⁣

I have said these words time and time again, either aloud or internally to myself. Just like yesterday, on Valentine's Day, with me being in Port Alberni and my husband being over 100km away in Vancouver. Leading up to it, I totally had the mindset that I'm going to be alone on Valentine's Day. Or "I live alone". Or "I'm eating in a restaurant alone". ⁣

⁣ I never thought anything of it; it was always one of those phrases that you inherit into your vernacular from the time you're a child, use your entire life, and don't think about beyond its face value. ⁣ ⁣

But when I paused, tuned in, and reflected on what else was going on every time I've believed "I am alone", I noticed that it was always accompanied by gnawing feelings of loneliness or dissatisfaction or unworthiness or...I mean, that list goes on. And none of it is good. ⁣ ⁣

The language we use, often thoughtlessly, matters. It forms our beliefs, shapes our perspectives, affects our mood, triggers certain emotions, informs our own identities. And we internalize far more than we realize. ⁣ ⁣

So that is something I am working to change. To be more mindful of the language I use. To re-examine everything I've grown up with. To question. To deconstruct. To redefine. To be impeccable with my words. ⁣

⁣ It's not easy. I slip up. Over and over again. But it's worth it.