Unconscious compliance. This is what came up for me when reflecting on what I need to let go in order to create space for something new.
Unconscious compliance can manifest in any number of ways, all of which keep you stuck in your life; for example, playing small, over giving, excessive worrying, procrastination, perfectionism. The list goes on and on. At its core, though, unconscious compliance is always a false story that someone else assigned to you that has run your life because you believed it to be true.
We all have numerous false stories that, if left unexamined, keep us living squarely within the confines of what society deems acceptable and desirable. What keeps us unconsciously compliant is fear. Fear that we will lose what we most desire—love, connection, safety, and belonging. We also fear uncertainty. Because the familiar, even when it doesn’t serve us, is more comfortable than the unknown.
One of the stories that has kept me unconsciously compliant is the belief that I need someone else’s permission to pursue my dreams and to live my life my way. This is rather ironic because it is not in my nature to ask for permission.
Now that I am onto this false story, whenever I am feeling stuck, I can check in with myself to see if I am unconsciously waiting for someone else to give me permission before I take action. If I am, then I can give myself the permission I need to move forward.
Let me ask you ...
Where is unconscious compliance limiting your life?
What’s the false story that’s keeping you stuck in an old pattern?
What new, truer story can you tell yourself that will create the space you need to live the life you want?