Who Holds Your Truth?
In our last newsletter, we began to uncover how the "busyness trap" keeps us from stillness, and from truly connecting with ourselves. We explored the subtle societal norm that values constant motion over quiet introspection.
In this publication, we’re peeling back yet another layer of division: how we’re conditioned to look outside ourselves for answers, for definitions of our worth, and even for our core values.
The External Authority Trap: Are You Giving Away Your Power?
We live in a society addicted to immediate gratification. When a question arises, or something feels off, what's our first impulse? We turn to external authorities: governmental bodies, powerful brands, internet search engines, religious leaders. "Why do I feel depressed?" we type, expecting a quick fix or a definitive answer from the algorithm.
This craving for immediate external answers feeds into a larger web: the belief that someone else knows best, that we must constantly defer to an authority outside ourselves.
As humans, we're hardwired to seek guidance, and to a certain extent, defer to authority. Psychological studies famously demonstrate how powerfully we can be influenced by perceived experts or institutions, sometimes even overriding our own common sense or moral compass.
Think of experiments like the Stanford Prison Experiment, where individuals quickly adopted and conformed to assigned roles within an institutional structure, demonstrating the profound influence of perceived authority and the systems we inhabit. This isn't a flaw; it's a deeply ingrained pattern our brains use to navigate a complex world – but it can be exploited.
I remember being taught as a child that lying was a sin – a direct path to eternal torment. This was an unquestionable truth handed down by authority (my church). But what happens when that external truth clashes with real-world survival?
As a child, if a stranger came to my door when I was home alone and asked if my parents were home, my conditioned fear of "burning in hell" for lying might have led me to say, "No, they're not." This immediately puts me in danger.
The division created here is profound: when we hand over the authority for our values and decisions to someone or something outside ourselves, we sever the opportunity to ask ourselves the hard questions. We lose the muscle to contemplate, to engage in that crucial inner dialogue – the only place where our own truth resides.
If we're constantly distracted (as we discussed last week), constantly death-scrolling, we never build the capacity to hear our own internal wisdom. We continue to rely on external validation, even when it puts us in danger or steers us away from our own power.
Your Revolution: Reclaiming Your Inner Authority:
This week, I invite you to observe: Where in your life do you automatically look for external answers or validation, even for things that feel deeply personal? What questions do you have that you've outsourced to a perceived authority instead of exploring within?
If you find yourself caught in an external authority trap, here are some strategies to begin reclaiming your power and reconnecting with your own truth:
Identify the Authority: Reflect on which perceived authority (e.g., a specific person, institution, media outlet, or "expert") you feel you've given your power to in a certain area.
Question Their Authority: Ask yourself: Is this a true authority or a perceived authority? What makes them an authority in this specific area, for me?
Seek Diverse Perspectives: Are there any other "authorities" or viewpoints in this area? What do they say about this topic? (This helps break the echo chamber of a single external voice).
Align with Your Power: Most importantly, ask yourself: How does this authority's perspective align with my own power? Does it encourage and expand my power, or does it discourage, diminish, or take away from it?
Listen Inward: After considering external views, consciously turn inward. What does your gut tell you? What feels true for you, even if it goes against the "expert" opinion?
These questions are your tools for starting a conversation with yourself, building that crucial inner muscle to discern your own truth.
Share in the comments one area where you've noticed yourself deferring your truth to an external authority. I read every response.
Next week, we'll confront "Us vs. Them: The Illusion of Division" – exploring how societal norms actively create chasms between us and others, and how we can begin to build bridges.
Namaste, Sweet Soul
Araceli Wehr, Inner Revolution Coach
Founder & CEO of Arohee, LLC