I Spoke Up

Hypocrite: one who is satisfied with making a good impression  Authenticity starts with me. It starts when I lay down my BS and start actually living the way I say I am living. It’s really simple it just requires effort, something many of us prefer not to expend in creating change as much as we expend it complaining about the current state of things. Hypocrisy happens when we settle, or when we think it’s enough to give the impression that we are free or religious or holy. I regret to inform you (and me) that impressions and intentions are not enough. Not even close. There’s an old saying that states that “the path to hell is paved with good intentions,” and I dare say it’s a worse path to take there than that of simple, overt rebellion because all along you’re fooling yourself into believing that your intentions and impressions are actually getting you to heaven. They’re not. You’re literally in the same place as when you started. It’s like when you are driving somewhere wh...

What does it mean to be brave? I've been thinking about this a lot lately, especially since the earth-shattering Brave Love book entered into my life, and I have to say that courage and bravery looks different than I thought it would. The brave person is not devoid of fear, in fact, they are ones who may feel it more than others. The brave person is not impenetrable, in fact, only a truly courageous person would dare to be vulnerable and open themselves up to others. The brave person is not walking around in total self confidence, in fact their minds are often plagued by self doubt. The truth is, what separates a brave person from an ordinary person is as simple as a weak, "yes." What makes someone strong is not negating their weaknesses, it is acknowledging them so that they can be strengthened. To be brave, to be strong, is to choose not to run away. It's to dig your heals in just enough to start to grow some roots. There, good intentions finally become ac...