Prisoner

I'm on a mission to be FREE! Can you relate? Back in 1987 I stood up in a personal growth seminar full of mostly white folks and out of my mouth came these words, "I want to feel comfortable anywhere in the world!" You see, back then I was a self-conscious, self-critical, approval seeking sister. I've done a whole lot of spiritual work since then and I've grown and expanded but I'm not done. I want to experience a greater sense of freedom, know what I mean?

Truth is I'ma prisoner. Of sorts. Now, don't get me wrong. The prison that I dwell in sometimes feels roomy, airy and even fun. At other times it doesn't even strike me as a prison. And still, it's a prison. And it's largely a prison of my own making.

Some signs that you're in prison:

• You're in prison when you care more about what other people think than how you feel.


• You're in prison when you spend 40 hours a week at a job that you despise.


• You're incarcerated when you people please and approval seek.


• You're in prison when you don't speak your mind for fear of what others will do and say


• You're in prison when your addiction to food, alcohol, clothes, sex, men, drug dictate your choices


• You're in prison when you hate yourself


• You're in prison when you don't forgive yourself


• You're in prison when you don't forgive others


• You're in prison when you hinge your happiness on what someone else does or doesn't do


• You're in prison when you let someone else's opinion of your become you reality


• You're in prison when you wait for such and such to be happy


• You're in prison when you'd rather be abused than alone


• You're in prison when you allow, promote, accept, tolerate maltreatment from others

Want to escape with me? C'mon, let's get FREE! Moment to moment choose to be you, your authentic self. Say what you need to say. Follow your bliss! Forgive YOU. Let others off the hook. To thyself be true. Choose happiness NOW. Take good care of yourself. Teach people how to treat you, well. Love YOU!