“We all have experiences,
thoughts, emotions, or
behaviors that we
don’t feel safe telling the world.
We need someone in whom to confide.”
Dr. Henry Cloud, author of “Boundaries”
Do you have someone you feel safe sharing the deepest aspects of yourself with? We all have a “shadow side” that we aren’t proud of and try to hide as it threatens our sense of feeling loved, valued, and worthwhile. But living in that sphere of shame can inhibit us from not only accessing all of ourselves holistically but it can eventually cause disconnect between us and others.
Maybe you have a trusted parent, a childhood friend, or a wise co-worker you can open up to, which is so great if that is the case and I encourage you to continue to do so.
But, so many of us may not have had the luxury of a safe and trusted person to actually be ourselves with and the thought of sharing that aspect of ourselves can be so scary and even threatening.
The first step I would encourage you to take is to consider talking to a therapist. Not only are licensed therapists trained in human psychology but we have taken an oath of confidentiality and are safe protectors of your innermost thoughts.
Sure, there is a risk of sharing yourself as it requires you to get outside of your comfort zone. But, the rewards far outweigh the risk when it comes to truly knowing yourself and allowing another person to do so as well.
