There was a time when I trusted every thought that crossed my mind, believing it held the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. My mind was my guide, my compass, the voice I listened to above all others. But then I realized something hard to accept: my mind was lying to me. It filled my head with doubts, fears, and stories that weren’t real, yet felt so convincing that I couldn’t see the difference.

It’s a strange feeling when you start to question your own thoughts, to realize that not everything your mind tells you is true. The negative voices, the self-criticism, the catastrophizing—they all come from within, but they don’t define who you are. I’ve learned that my mind can be a trickster, twisting reality into something unrecognizable, making me believe in insecurities and failures that aren’t even mine. It’s like waking up from a dream and realizing that the monsters were never really there.

Now, I’m learning to be kinder to myself, to recognize when my mind is leading me down a dark path and gently steer myself back to the light. It’s not easy, and it’s a journey I’m still on, but I’m starting to see through the lies. I’m starting to trust in something deeper than just my thoughts. I believed my mind, but now I’m learning to believe in myself instead.