An invitation to release the lies of unworthiness and step into the joy, love, and truth of who you really are.
There are moments when the words that flow through me feel less like messages from somewhere "out there" and more like reminders whispered straight into my own heart. The message I wrote today is one of those times. I've carried fear-based stories for much of my life: stories about unworthiness, about not being enough, about having to earn love.
It makes sense that what I wrote feels as if it were whispered straight into my heart, because my highest self is speaking to and through me. This message invited me to pause, breathe, and remember that I don't have to live inside those stories anymore. And neither do you.
*****
Let’s start with a simple question: why do we fear so much?
Why do we cling to the stories that cause us so much suffering? Depending on our state of mind, we believe the stories we tell are true, and in many cases, we believe they're True with a capital "T," as in Universal Truth. We hold to fear consciousness. We cling to stories of unworthiness, of being sinners, of deserving what we get, of being punished for the choices of others. The list goes on.
Pause and consider something. Before doing so, take a moment to connect with your heart and allow your deepest desires to surface. With those desires alive and active in your heart, ask yourself: how do you feel?
Don't stop to think; go to the first feeling that surfaces. Do you feel happy? Do you feel excited? Do you feel alive? Do you feel loved?
Speaking from experience, I can tell you that this feeling, the feeling that validates you and puts you in a hopeful state, is the feeling of All That Is. It is the feeling you are meant to feel when you allow the deepest desires of your heart to surface. It is the feeling of love, of Truth (this time with a capital "T"), that says, "Yes, you are worthy of this feeling and so much more."
Why are we worthy? Because we are OF All That Is, we ARE All That Is, and no story told to us by others can ever invalidate that Truth.
I realize that to some, that's a lot to swallow. But pay attention to how you feel when you read those words. Do they not touch something deep inside of you? Even if you only feel the faintest glimmer of light, of joy, of connection, or inspiration, you are resonating with the most fundamental Truth of all.
The journey toward freedom, toward letting go of the stories that hold us in place and weigh us down, begins with a single step: a single belief that maybe, just maybe, we really ARE deserving of every good thing that happens to us.
I've learned to ignore what others say, though it remains a struggle. For the most part, I've come to accept that when someone tells me I'm going to burn in a fiery pit for eternity, what they're really saying is, "I need you to behave in a specific way so that I can feel better." That's not truth. That's fear speaking. And fear's opinion of me is none of my business.
My response is simple: let them act in the way they feel they need to, so they can feel better. Let them choose their path to happiness and fulfillment, and I'll choose mine. If our paths coincide, run parallel, or even merge, it will be because we chose that together.
So what can we do to break the stranglehold our fear-based stories have over us?
First, allow yourself to believe that something better already exists for you. I put "out there" in quotes because, in reality, it's not out there at all. It's in and all around you. The something better you seek already exists, and it is waiting for you to claim it by first looking inside and seeing yourself for who you really are: a unique and worthy expression of All That Is. If you can't see it yet, then feel it.
It helps to have a starting point, so here's a simple affirmation: "My something better already exists. It's waiting for me to see it and claim it." This is especially meaningful for those of us just beginning our awakening journey, just starting to see the cracks in the stories that have held us prisoner for so long.
Even if the affirmation feels ridiculous or hard to believe, allow yourself to believe it, even just a tiny bit. As you repeat it, you'll start to feel the truth of it. Say it out loud. Repeat it throughout the day. Feel it as you say it. This will widen the cracks just enough that you begin to see the opportunities and synchronicities that have been waiting for you all along.
Every time you feel yourself slipping back into despair or depression, contrast how you feel when you connect with your heart's desires to how you feel when you repeat the fear-based stories. Then ask yourself honestly: how would you prefer to feel?
Would you prefer to feel a little lighter of heart, or would you prefer to feel dark, down, depressed, and afraid?
Would you prefer to feel a little bit of joy, or would you prefer to be miserable?
Whatever choice you make, All That Is doesn't judge or condemn it. Your decision is accepted for what it is.
I'll close with this: look at every contrast in your life and choose what makes you feel alive and excited, even if it's just a tiny bit alive and excited. By making that choice, you will see what appear to be miraculous things unfold in your life, and your experience on this earth will be what you always intended it to be: wondrous and beautiful.
*****
As I sat with this message before choosing to share it, I realized how easy it is to slip back into believing the old stories: that I'm broken, that I'm unworthy, that love is always somewhere out of reach. Growing up in a fear-based, high-demand religion will do that to you. But when I pause, let myself feel what my heart wants, and allow the joy to surface, the fear loses its grip. What rises instead is something lighter, freer, and far truer.
Freedom doesn't come in one dramatic leap. It begins with a single choice, a single breath, a single shift in belief. And that's enough to start.
I'm walking this path with you. I still stumble into fear, I still wrestle with old stories, and I still periodically forget the truth of who I am. But little by little, I'm learning to see those moments not as failures, but as invitations to come home to myself.
If this message touches you, even faintly, let it serve as a reminder that you are not broken, not unworthy, and never alone. We're all learning together how to tell better stories about ourselves, stories that set us free.
Be well. Be joyous. Be grateful. Always.
With love, Appio 🌿
Questions to ponder:
- What fear-based story are you ready to release today?
- What "something better" is already waiting for you to see and claim?
Pause. Breathe. Listen to your heart's answer. Then take one small step in that direction, and watch what unfolds.
