Questioning the commitments that lock us up

Last week I discussed how we empaths get it from both sides. Our brains are hardwired for safety and our neural pathways literally can keep us stuck in a trauma-drama cycle. This feature of the human body keeps many folks locked up for decades, sometimes entire lives can be consumed by this loop.

Next we investigated that as a highly sensitive person – an empath, we can pick up the thoughts feelings and emotions of others. But instead of the trauma of the other, what shows up for us is our own familiar cast of characters, barking in your mind. Naturally we assume these triggered thoughts are ours, they’re showing up in our minds after all.

But when we question the barking, a lightness often appears. When we question, we detangle ourselves from the looping thoughts. We realize, ‘Ah, that’s right, this isn’t mine!’ and peace is restored.

This week, I unpack a more insideous layer. Insideous because it’s unconscious, totally invisible to us and yet it’s a program running us all the same. What I’m talking about are the invisible commitments that screw us. For example, if you’ve always imagined an insane level of success but on some covert level you know this will trigger your family’s judgment of you - you will sabotage yourself repeatedly.

This dysfunctional dynamic plays out in so many spheres, with our family & friends, our co-workers, culture, religions and even our bodies. How many invisible commitments are you keeping? How would you even know? And how many judgments would you have to face in order to blow past the limitations of those commitments? Yeah, it’s a lot to digest.

Questions are what shake this up. I’ve posed some below to start to jog your mind. Whichever you are most resistant to will undoubtedly contain the keys to your freedom.

What have I made significant about this person, place or thing?

Have I made any relationship more significant then me?

What do I have to do, what do I have to lose or who must I become to achieve my desires?

What am I unwilling to know, do or be that would change __fill in the blank__?