The Fear of Truth (And Why It’s the Very Thing That Will Set You Free)
Let’s get real.
There’s a fear most of us carry — not of danger, or death, or failure —
But of something far more intimate:
The fear of our own truth.
I’m not just talking about political or social truths — though God knows we need to talk about those, too.
I’m talking about the truth that lives in your chest like a knot you can’t swallow.
The kind that keeps you up at night.
The whisper that says:
“This relationship is dead.”
“This job is draining your soul.”
“You want more. You deserve more. And you’re tired of pretending you don’t.”
But instead of listening to that truth, what do we do?
We smile. We nod.
We shrink.
We lie.
Why?
Because we’ve been conditioned to.
Because we’ve been programmed to choose comfort over clarity.
Because we’ve been taught that silence is strength — and truth is selfish.
But let’s be clear:
The truth isn’t what ruins our lives.
The truth is what saves them.
The Lies We’ve Inherited
We were raised on lies disguised as values:
“Stay married no matter what.”
“Stick with the job, it’ll look bad if you leave.”
“Be grateful. Be agreeable. Don’t rock the boat.”
We were rewarded for obedience, not authenticity.
For playing small, not speaking boldly.
But here’s the real question:
Who are you shrinking for?
Because staying in a soul-sucking marriage or a dead-end job isn’t noble —
It’s self-abandonment dressed up as responsibility.
And when we say “I’m doing it for the kids” or “It’s just what life is,”
we’re teaching the next generation to normalize suffering.
That’s not truth.
That’s legacy trauma.
And we’re here to break that cycle.
What Are You Pretending Not to Know?
The first step toward liberation is daring to ask the question:
“What am I pretending not to know?”
Because we all know.
Whether we admit it or not — truth is always there, knocking, waiting.
But truth demands something most of us fear:
Change.
And change threatens the very things we once believed kept us safe —
relationships, careers, communities, belief systems, even our identity.
We fear being alone.
We fear what people will say.
We fear shattering the illusions we built our lives on.
But what’s worse: discomfort or disconnection from your own soul?
The Real Fear: Losing Love, Belonging… and the Mask
Most of us don’t lie to avoid hurting others —
We lie to avoid being abandoned.
We stay in roles, in churches, in marriages, in corporate careers,
not because they nurture us — but because we’re scared of what happens if we leave.
We think:
“If I grow, I’ll outgrow them.”
“If I become who I really am, I’ll be alone.”
But the truth is this:
If someone stops loving you when you stop conforming,
their love was never real.
They loved your mask, not your essence.
When you start speaking your truth, you won’t lose love —
you’ll lose the cage you were never meant to live in.
Redefining Selfish
Let’s talk about the S word: selfish.
I was called selfish when I said no to staying in a one-sided marriage.
I was called selfish when I started honoring my truth instead of someone else’s demands.
But let’s break it down:
Is it selfish to refuse to betray yourself?
Or is it selfish to expect someone to keep suffering just to keep you comfortable?
Truth has been weaponized — especially against women.
We’ve been made to feel guilty for setting boundaries, for having desires, for wanting more.
But I’m here to tell you:
Selfish isn’t a sin. It’s sovereignty.
It’s self-respect.
It’s choosing wholeness over martyrdom.
From now on, let selfish mean this:
“I am no longer abandoning myself to make you comfortable.”
What Hiding Costs Us
When we deny our truth, we don’t just lose our voice —
We lose ourselves.
We lose:
Authentic relationships (because no one can love the real you if the real you is hidden)
Opportunities (because truth is magnetic)
Peace (because keeping up a false life is exhausting)
Joy (because even the good moments feel muted when we’re performing)
We become shells.
Burnt out.
Anxious.
Depressed.
Disconnected.
And we wonder why.
But it all started with hiding.
With silence.
With abandoning ourselves for the comfort of others.
The Truth Will Shake You — But It Will Also Set You Free
When you finally say it out loud —
Whether in a whisper, a journal, or to a friend —
“I want more.”
“This isn’t working.”
“I deserve better.”
You’ll feel the ground shift.
You might piss people off.
You might lose some relationships.
You might feel terrified…
And then you’ll feel something else: relief.
You’ll feel light.
You’ll feel honest.
You’ll feel free.
Because no more pretending.
No more hiding.
No more explaining yourself to people who never really saw you anyway.
Truth won’t destroy your life —
It’ll rebuild it.
Final Truths I Want You to Know
Let me leave you with this:
You matter.
Your happiness matters.
Your voice is needed.
Your truth deserves to be heard.
Stop waiting for someone to validate your worth.
Stop hoping someone will care about your comfort the way you’ve cared about theirs.
They won’t — until you do.
So start now.
Tell one truth.
Take one step.
Let one mask fall.
Because that truth you’re afraid of?
That’s your path.
That’s your power.
That’s your freedom.
This is what I have to say today — and I know you have something to say, too.
Welcome to the rebellion.
To the revolution of real.
To truth-telling, soul-unmasking, and becoming fully alive.
Because silence was never your destiny.
Truth is your medicine.
And you?
You’re the cure the world’s been waiting for.
With love and truth,
Jamie Shae