Melanie Page

After finding a list on The Good Trade of positive affirmations to read through in the morning, I realized I could use each one as a springboard to accentuate the positive. The first affirmation states, “I alone hold the truth of who I am.”

Today’s affirmation is tough! The word “truth” in reference to humans feels slippery, ambiguous. What is the “truth” when ten people can see a situation play out and tell ten different stories of what happened? Does the “truth” mean only what I experience from my perspective? Or does truth refer to something more introspective, meaning it is impossible for others to know what is happening inside my mind and body?

I also know the social media catchphrase “my truth” ripped around the internet for a while, though I don’t see it as much anymore. In some memes responding to “my truth,” people have suggested that claiming what you think and do to others and calling it “truth” is just an excuse to be a terrible person. Hmmm…. I think we’re in the weeds on today’s affirmation.

I’m going to interpret today’s affirmation as one that suggests other people don’t have a whole picture of who I am because that’s impossible. Even my beloved spouse doesn’t know what I do at work, the big feelings I have, the micro, momentary feelings, the specific experiences; thus, he cannot see my full truth either.

Therefore, it’s just me who knows what I feel all the time, and other people miss parts of me when they make a comment. For example, in interpreting, we talk about how feedback is like a buffet. When you go to a buffet (and yes, now I want sweet-n-sour chicken, chocolate pudding, and a chicken wing!), you don’t take everything. You take what you want. The metaphor falls apart a bit because with interpreting, we take the feedback we can and should use, not just the feedback we like. I don’t think of buffet food as food that I “can use.” Anyway, follow along with me.

The point is, when someone gives you feedback, they don’t know your whole story and may be making a call based on what they see for a short time. For instance, if I miss information from either the hearing or Deaf person, I don’t tend to interrupt the conversation to ask that person to repeat themselves or get the info in immediately. I wait and insert the information as soon as possible or ask for it again organically. However, if another interpreter is watching me interpret with the goal of providing feedback, they may notice that I missed information and jump in to give it to me, even if I didn’t ask for help, because they assume that I completely missed the information and am unaware. This individual is acting with good intentions, but they don’t know that in my experience, I am capable of inserting information into the conversation a little later to maintain conversational flow. I would thank my team for their feedback and continue listening to them for other feedback I can incorporate. Or, they may have a good argument for interrupting the conversation and providing information not yet interpreted immediately. I would consider their perspective.

If we’re thinking larger picture, beyond interpreting, I’m assuming The Good Trade is referring to people being judgmental. However, I don’t think all “judgment” is “judgmental.” In fact, the hardest judge and jury is often ourselves, which is why I recently started a book about self-compassion. In what ways do you consider “I alone hold the truth of who I am”?