The Real Reason I Stayed Stuck: The Lies I Believed

For a long time, I thought my pain came from what others did to me. And yes, those moments hurt—but what really kept me stuck were the lies I told myself for years.

While reading The Body Keeps the Score, I came across this quote by Elvin Semrad:

“The greatest sources of our suffering are the lies we tell ourselves.”

That hit hard. Because I lived it.

The Lies I Carried

I didn’t realize they were lies. They felt like facts.

• “I’m not enough.”

• “I’m too much.”

• “I always mess things up.”

• “This is just who I am.”

• “No one really sees me.”

They didn’t scream. They were like little whispers—until they shaped everything I believed about myself.

How Those Lies Held Me Back

They made me shrink. They made me question my worth. They made me sabotage good things—because deep down, I didn’t believe I deserved them.

I wasn’t broken. I was just believing the wrong story.

What Helped Me Shift

It started when I began paying attention.

• “Who’s voice is this?”

• “Is this actually true?”

• “Do I wasn’t to keep living by this story?”

Little by little, I began to rewrite those beliefs with honesty and compassion.

“I always mess up” became “I’m still learning.”

“I’m too damaged” became “I’m healing.”

“This is who I am” became “I’m allowed to grow.”

It didn’t happen overnight, but it started.

You’re Not Alone

If your inner voice has been stuck on repeat—if you’re tired of carrying old beliefs—you’re not alone.

You can shift the story. You can unlearn the lies. You can speak to yourself with truth and care.

Let this be your reminder: You don’t have to believe everything you’ve always believed.

You’re allowed to grow past the version of you that was just trying to survive. And the truth? That’s where your freedom begins.