Your truth is your freedom

ADRIANA SANDRINE RATTAN WITH WOMEN IN MIND

There is no greater agony than being the untold story inside you.” – Maya Angelou

VERY often the International Women’s Resource Network (IWRN) would receive complaints from women stating that their lives feel trapped and stifled almost as if they are constantly on one spot. But deeper introspection and conversations usually reveal that it is really their avoidance in revealing their truths.

Not understanding your truth comes from places of personal instability, low self-esteem, emotional insecurity and strong feelings that compel you to please others. Because the world is running much faster than expected, some ears have become inundated with unnecessary chatter clouded with instructions about living the lives of others, with some of those messages becoming their truth.

Your truth is the only highway that affords you free movement. The inner authenticity within your heart shows on your exterior because of that freedom you so enjoy. We have had instances where traps are so powerful, that women actually develop many different narratives to share within different spaces. Never be afraid of your own honesty whether the information has to traverse privately or publicly. Nervousness and fear only become issues if your truth is untrue. It does not matter what others think of you, because we are our own storytellers and therefore, can only be guided by our own intuition. Other interventions should only be allowed if they are capable of adding value to the existing narratives.

Many of us continuously live in fear of being judged by others, and so, become enslaved until death due to concealing our truth. I have witnessed at many funerals, truths of the deceased being revealed much to the embarrassment of those present. Withholding truthful information for fear of being chastised is a sign of weakness which can only be strengthened by the continuous display of originality. Each of us on this earth has different experiences and different circumstances which can never result in the same sum total. Thinking before speaking and ensuring that the space within which the information would be shared is also critical, but your larger responsibility is ensuring that the information is authentic.

Another situation which is quite prevalent is the manner in which some women and even men communicate with each other – an approach aimed at ensuring agreement by all... that again is not healthy; varying opinions always add greater value to dialogue at all levels. Engaging in gossip and idle chatter is a common medium used by many to dispel their truths.

Remember we live in a world where people test each other in an effort to pull the information they’re seeking which may not be necessarily true – something which can tarnish your credibility for a lifetime. Start some immediate introspection and own your truths whether they relate to your past or present.

Adriana Sandrine Rattan is a communications and branding consultant, author, empowerment builder and president of the International Women’s Resource Network (IWRN) Contact: intlwomensresourcenetwork@gmail.com; https://www.facebook.com/IWRN1/