One of my favorite sayings is, “The truth sets you free.” I’ve come to know this assertion to be as certain and predictable as the sun that warms the earth and our skin.

Telling the truth is an act of power. It can radically change our world for the better. And because of this, it is also a delicate act that can sometimes challenge us.

I was reminded of this lately when one of my clients came to her session in a confusing mix of feeling both bruised and empowered after a week of telling the truth to friends and colleagues.

What does it mean to tell the truth?  

My client had faithfully done her inner healing, at least enough for her to sense a new version of herself emerging.

She had disentangled herself from the prison of trying to conform to what she thought other people expected of her, and had accomplished the hardest part of telling the truth; by telling the truth to herself.

She had learned to steady her inner gaze and infuse it with unconditional love so that when she took a look at pain buried decades ago she discovered, to her surprise and delight, that what she had tried to cover up, avoid and distance herself from, simply dissolved.

Our world changes when the light of truth is turned on.

Even when our honest gaze reveals painful or ugly elements of about ourselves or life, seeing the truth of what we’ve been avoiding is a joyous thing. Why? Because when face what is difficult or painful with love we discover that we are bigger than our pain. The discovery of our ‘bigness’ is liberating.

In my clients case she saw that long held ideas about being ugly and unlovable were protective shields held in place by a distorted perception that the world is an unsafe place.

There’s no denying that unjust and dangerous things happen in life, but always underlying the play of life is the ever constant flow of life as love.

When my client began to see through her old perception her defenses crumbled and now, for the first time in her life, she feels comfortable in her skin. She senses that life is on her side and that her dreams and aspirations are reachable.

It feels good to become free.

When we are no longer disconnected or trying to hide from ourselves we naturally feel moved to express from a deeper, authentic place.

My client has become more open with her views and wisdom. This was unnerving at first, especially at work, but colleagues are thanking her for her clarity and willingness to take a stand for integrity.

In her friendships her experience has been a little different.

Why the Truth is sometimes rejected.

When a truth teller is in our midst one of two things tends to happen. Some people are drawn towards the truth teller, recognizing that he or she is speaking and being what they are seeking for themselves, and some become uncomfortable.

To understand this we need to take a look at what happens when we tell the truth.

On the surface telling the truth looks like sharing what we’re really feeling or thinking, but there is a deeper energetic reality that opens up when we tell the truth.

Truth, in an energetic sense, is like a clear beam of light. It shines with or without words.  Some find it unsettling because they sense its’ power to shine a light on what they are trying to avoid seeing.

When you tell your deeper truth and notice that some people object, or reject you, don’t take this personally. You are simply being shown that they may not be accustomed to the bright light of truth.

The freedom to be.

Life is no longer a lifeless treadmill for my client. She is in an exciting discovery process of becoming her true self. Many of her colleagues and friends are opening up to her more, and new relationships are building that support her blossoming authenticity.

It may feel like a risk to speak your truth, but your willingness to take the step not only frees you to become the love you are at our core, it shows others how to step into their freedom too.