What is One Huge Benefit of Speaking Your Truth?

How often do you speak your truth?

Why do you choose to do so, or not do so?

I came across this quote the other day:

“If you want to know who your tribe is, speak your truth. Then see who sticks around. Those are the people who get a spot in your blanket fort.” 

~ Nanea Hoffman

What initially drew me to this was that it mentions a blanket fort. A blanket fort!

My mind immediately surged with excitement and rewound to, oh, 45 years ago: my sister and I in the living room, taking the cushions off the couch and chairs, dragging in a few kitchen chairs and bedroom pillows, placing them just so, then precisely floating the blankets down over our newly constructed walls.

On any given day our blanket forts became our castles, caves, and casas.

We would spend hours in these creations.

In them, our imaginations were unstoppable and time was infinite.

Only the most trusted individuals were invited in, lest they disturb the infrastructure or reject our vision.

This simple yet multifaceted pastime opened the door (literally and figuratively) to so many story lines and opened our minds to endless possibilities of construction, creation, and connection.

Ahhh, the memories.

Which left me wondering, does anyone even build blanket forts anymore?

After spending ample time reliving my blanket-fort days and emerging from memory-lane notions, the other parts of the quote began to register in my brain.

Firstly, “If you want to know who your tribe is, speak your truth.”

Okay, if a tribe is a group of people or a community who share some commonalities, then you need to determine what commonalities you are all about.

Sometimes commonalities can be familial, as in shared ancestors and family members.

Other times the commonalities revolve around having similar interests, values or beliefs.

Whatever the ties that bind us, we are social beings.

Wanting to feel connected to others is a very human characteristic - just look at the popularity of social media, sports, concerts and gaming! There are avenues for folks to feel a sense of “we” even when they may be sitting alone in a room.

So, to find your we you need to find your me first:

• Who are you?
• What do you stand for?
• What are your passions and interests?
• Who do you want to become?
• How would you like others to support you?
• And how will you support them?

These are some questions to consider when defining and clarifying you, and thus, your truth.

When you are able to articulate your truth from your heart with feeling and conviction your words resonate more clearly with others; you draw those people to you whose visions and persona align more closely with yours.

The only way to find your tribe is to know your own truth and speak it.

Then comes the interesting part: “Then see who sticks around.”

Speaking your truth can be exhilarating and freeing and scary all at the same time.

So can be seeing who sticks around.

Sometimes you go into your truth believing specific people will join your tribe.

Sometimes you go into your truth believing specific people will not join your tribe.

And sometimes you are totally surprised by who joins or walks away.

As exciting and heart-warming as it is to see who sticks around, it can also be distressing and heart-breaking to see who does not.

You go through a process of renegotiating relationships and redefining connections.

This happens to me each time I step into a new truth and share it.

For instance, when I began studying and then practicing Reiki I found myself being careful of who I would share that part of my life with, so it felt pretty safe and comfortable at first.

After a while when I felt confident enough it became frustrating and difficult being careful all the time, so I took the leap and shared my Reiki truth with all.

Yes, there were and are some folks who do not understand or believe in Reiki, therefore some of their beliefs about me shift and our relationship shifts. Some of these folks have drifted off and are on the periphery of my life, some remain involved and supportive in other areas of my life. We are still connected by previous and continuing interests, but we do not grow together as much. It is as if this is a tribe I visit, but not where I put most of my attention.

On the other hand though, I’ve realized on some accounts that I had been projecting my own qualms onto others. Once I shared my story, and once they heard about me and Reiki they were super interested and supportive. Our relationships are that much deeper because we share this interest and continue to grow together. This is a tribe I feel energized and nurtured by.

This brings me to the final part of that quote: “Those are the people who get a spot in your blanket fort.”

Ahhh, the blanket fort.

Your truth is what defines you.

Your tribe is what/who lifts you up, supports you, sustains you, advances with you and helps you to flourish.

The fascinating thing about tribes is that they can and do change over time.

Just because you are part of one tribe now does not mean that you must remain in that one forever.

As your interests and beliefs evolve, so can - so should - those of your tribe/s. Otherwise you may get lulled into complacency and miss out on exploring your own possibilities.

So with each new discovery about yourself, your interests and your beliefs, put it out there! Speak your truth!

Look around and notice who remains with you.

Invite them into your blanket fort - the inner sanctum of your Self - to continue exploring, expanding and evolving, knowing you are in good company and sharing a vision.

Oh, and going back to my pondering: does anyone even build blanket forts anymore?

I believe we do.

We continually seek and create the tightly-knit comfort, endless possibilities and trusted relationships that make the foundations of our tribe.

We still build blanket forts, just maybe more figuratively than literally.

How are you doing at knowing YOUR truth?

And at speaking it?

How strong are your connections with your tribe?

Hey, hi there! Mariesa here.

If you are not as clear with your beliefs, interests and goals as you’d like to be…

If you wish you had more confidence to let your true self shine though…

If you are longing to build deeper, more vibrant relationships…

Let’s connect!

Book a free call here and let’s get your blanket fort ready for your tribe.