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Karen Haradem posted an update 6 years, 2 months ago
My takeaway from the last call: Who am I without the labels?
My labels: Sexual Abuse Survivor, Addict, Psychiatric Patient, Troublemaker, Bad Girl, etc…
Without those labels I am a child of God, worthy of love and belonging from the moment I was born and regardless of what I do or don’t do throughout my life, beautiful woman with endless potential and love to give to myself and those around me, a beacon of light and hope to share with the world.
Hard for me to take the labels off…always something I’ve struggled with…I like the labels because it keeps me always working on the self-improvement and fixing what is “wrong” with me instead of knowing that there is nothing wrong with me and I have all I need to be the person I was created to be and have the potential of being.
Where am I showing up and is it the right place for me? Lots to think about with that question. Honestly, I really don’t know if where I’m showing up is the right place for me. Those are feelings I’ve had for some time.
Thank you for listening to the call and sharing your reflections. Just curious how life might be different if you focused on being a child of God, worthy of love and belonging as your birthright and creating from this knowing?
When I read your second paragraph a heaviness came in. It feels heavy and like hard work. And it feels like you are keeping yourself here.
Where might be a good place for you to be?
Karen, I love your honesty and your sharing of your process. I do see polarization between two parts. Wonder what the 3 rd way could be?
I think they call this paradox. The tension of two things and letting the 3rd way come forth………Just reflecting outloud…..Curious with you….
Tami, that’s an interesting thought and something I will consider. Thank you! Never thought about a third perspective…
Bev, it is really heavy. I think that I still may be stuck in trying to prove my worth. Not sure. I think a good place for me to be lives in surrender. I don’t think I can get to where I need to be without it. It’s like I keep fighting and resisting, which is why it’s not happening. I’m starting to pay attention to when I physically start to get defensive or clam up, knowing that what someone is saying is exactly what I need to be working on. There’s something specifically that you’ve said in your calls that I’ve been resistant to. Of course, I forgot what it was…lol…but I’m sure it will come back to me. I’ll let you know. That resistance is something I am aware of that needs to be surrendered.
Karen, I can relate to your struggle to let go of the labels for the same reasons of wanting them to keep working & fixing…I really appreciate your sharing of your answers… honoring where you’re at & supporting you here.
Thank you, Jane!
Karen, thank you for sharing your process. Acknowledging and relating with you that it’s difficult to remove the labels. For my part, I want to see my labels as a representation of a story that I need to release myself from. Its hard because I don’t know who I am without them but, if I’m truly honest with myself, I don’t know who I am with them either. I just think I do. But that’s because it’s easy for me to think that. Realizing that any definition of “who” I am is actually just ego is what I need to experience peace, or more accurately, myself as peace. Something I’ve thought for a while, but not sure if I’ve expressed, is that your process and your growth is beautiful and inspirational to witness.
Thank you, Wes. That is very helpful.