Sadie Robertson recently spoke on “truth.” What is truth? She’s very talented, inspiring, and her topics ring home quite often for me.
“I think the hardest thing for our generation is actually knowing what truth is,” she said. “Because everyone has their own truth, right? Your truth is different than my truth, and my truth can be different than your truth, and I’m not offended by your truth, because it doesn’t have to be my truth.”*
Is real truth the same as “my truth?” Nope.
According to Urban Dictionary, the top definition for “My Truth” is “A non-negotiable personal opinion” which “is a convenient phrase for avoiding arguments because people can contradict your opinion, but not your ‘truth’. The phrase is often used when seeking to justify a controversial personal stance or action because people are not allowed to argue with ‘your truth.’’’
Robertson underscored that in today’s society when someone feels very entitled to their opinion, they simply refer to it as their “truth,” because then people can’t tell them it’s wrong to feel that way. In other words, people are simply packaging it under “their truth” to avoid being told they are wrong; making it politically incorrect to argue about it. Making this type of truth non-negotiable, as Urban Dictionary said. Hmm.
How do you define truth? Can you relate to truth being tangled with ‘my truth’ when carrying on with your life day to day? Do you know the difference between what may be the real truth and what “your truth” is? Do you know the difference between truth and opinion? I think it’s important to know the difference.
I know what I want. I know who I am. I know myself. I know what “my truths” are and what my opinions are. Nobody knows me better than me.
I’m of the firm belief that I am best suited to decide my medical life, my personal life, and my professional life. That makes sense, doesn’t it? Yet it’s so common to let someone else steer you. Not only steer you but heavily influence or dictate what you do. Somehow, sometimes others who ‘have our best interests at heart’, attempt to make personal decisions for us.
“Truth” can become a tangled web in friendships and conversations.
Truth and health should co-exist. I am truthful to my medical providers. I hope and believe that they are truthful back.
I’m very happy with my decisions the past several years. When I’ve felt I could trust a doctor and that we were both on the same team in an attempt to reach a certain goal (migraine relief), I trusted. I stood firm in my decisions.
When I’ve felt a person or work situation wasn’t in my best interest – based on negativity, what I personally deem “red flags” or myriad other reasons, I trusted my intuition and sidestepped my way out of those. Thankfully so!
There’s nothing wrong with taking some “space” away from a longtime friend if their choices and their attitude aren’t healthy for you.
Each of our lives have purpose. You’re valued, special, and deserve all life has to offer. Don’t let anyone make you feel less than that.
Non-negotiables and concerning factors to me are different than what they are to you. I recently hashed this out with friend. There’s no wiggle room for my non-negotiables. I know what I stand for and where I’m going in life. Also, I live a very authentic life. I’m 100% myself with my partner, friends, family, my doctors, and those I work with in a professional setting.
It’s too easy to get “stuck” with a medical group and never want to leave. Just like it’s too easy to remain in an unhealthy relationship and better yet, actually get fully out of one. And icing on the cake – it’s easy to remain in a lackluster job or one that simply doesn’t make ends meet until retirement.
The statistics support this. Case in point: “In 1966, more than three-fourths of Americans had great confidence in medical leaders; today, only 34 percent do.”**
“Trust is the cornerstone of the doctor-patient relationship, and patients who trust their doctors are more likely to follow treatment plans.”** I’ve seen this to be very much the case in friends, family and acquaintances I’ve spoken to about various health conditions.
So why not make yourself the “exception to the rule.” (I love this statement because it rings so true to me and a statement a very influential individual made on my life a few years back.) Why not seek out a medical team that you trust, that can re-write your health story.
You can change your story. Rewrite your coming chapters that you thought were past publication date. Break the cycle. If no one in your family has gone to college, that doesn’t mean that’s your destiny.
Thinking about going vegan, but friends are criticizing you? It’s your choice. You’ve been enduring a very toxic and abusive relationship for ten years; why do you think you don’t deserve better than that?
We all come into the world, well… crying, but otherwise safe, happy, and with an innocent perspective. Bring that back into your life. And you know, tears might be part of the process – but that is a normal emotion.
Our time is unknown. I don’t focus on the end date of my life, but I am absolute aware of how I spend my time and how I want to feel throughout my life.
I don’t want to look back and wish I prioritized my health more than I did. I’m taking action to move hindsight 20/20 to present day.
*Sadie Robertson, YouTube – The Truth vs. My Truth, Mar. 15, 2022
**https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/23/upshot/do-you-trust-the-medical-profession.html
Coming next: 5 things I learned when I “found” my voice
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