Being Human Part 1 : Loving Pinocchio – Embracing My Inner Fake

pinocchio

There comes a time in your life where you acknowledge a few home truths about yourself. When the monkey mind rattles a few re-occurring thoughts at you and you begin to question why you believe those thoughts. A big loud thought that likes to rattle on inside my mind is ‘You are such a fake!’ I guess it has not been until I began practising mindfulness that it became so impactful and noticeable.

A few days ago I began to consider why I have felt a fake for most of my life and I realise it was time to make peace and embrace my own inner Pinocchio.

This is not the easiest blog post to write; not the easiest thing to admit to; in fact it’s damn hard.

I was watching one of my favourite TV shows ‘Perception’ last night, and one of the subjects was secrets and how biologically the body responds better to surrendering our secrets to the world than holding them in, yet we are also a race of people who feel torn between hiding secrets and letting them go. And as someone this past week on Facebook accused me of being ‘Perfect’ in a ‘Ooh look at you, you’re so perfect’ way, I wanted to set the record straight, not for this person might I add (they unfriended me) but because I feel sometimes that what holds us back are the perceived ‘demons’ we have inside that we resist bringing into full awareness.

And my confession is:

I have lied most of my life.


What Do You Mean You Have Lied Most Of Your Life?

 
MASK LIFE ROLES WE PLAY

From a very early age I lost all confidence when communicating who I was. At an early age an event knocked my confidence so badly that I felt I needed to protect myself by lying.  I lied about what I knew, about who I was, and now I realise that this is no longer something to hate about myself. In fact it is time to love my Pinocchio self.

During my school years I would have given anything to fit in. I was painfully shy and tried to avoid any public communication in groups or with an audience. As many females will know, we women can be very bitchy when in groups, and so I spent most of my school years trying to prove myself to my peer group. But one thing I did a lot of was trying to pretend that I knew what the other girls were talking about so that I fitted in. This never worked and as a result I often ended up with egg on my face. The girls as a group would often point out my mistakes and errors in knowing about the current topic they were discussing, knowing full well that I did not understand. They mostly did this while sniggering and laughing at me. Of course I blushed and felt thoroughly embarrassed.
 
This pattern of behaviour carried on into adulthood, trying to prove myself to the world but not the ‘me’ I really was, but who I felt the world would accept and like. I was a big people-pleaser before my spiritual path began. I realise now that I felt a fake because I always tried to be someone I thought others would like. I was a fake to my true self.
 
Now, as a more free thinker, as someone who is slowly letting my voice be heard, on days when I doubt who I am, the voices from childhood begin to play. Whenever I am doing something new, sharing some inner inspiration, even if it is my own unique, genuine, inspired thought, the voice pops up: ‘YOU’RE A FAKE!’ normally followed by: ‘Why would anyone listen to you or read what you have to write? You’re a fake and a liar!’.
 
Well, it’s time I embrace this thought; and acknowledge it. Yes I have lied, yes I may appear to be a fake but I am human and I am making the most of life in the only way I know how. And by doing this, change can happen. 
 
Awareness is the beginning.
 
I own this part of me. I own my Pinocchio self.
 

Loving Pinocchio

I often receive messages in my dreams and this past 2 weeks I have had a lot of dreams containing messages. The first dream involved my meeting old school friends for some sort of reunion. All the girls arrived at my home (before we went to the hall), all dressed in wealthy impressive gowns. Well, I was not dressed and neither was a friend of mine. As we walked towards my home they were gossiping, so I told them off (something I would never have done at school), and I then proclaimed very loudly:Hey! YES! I am Kelly Martin and now I speak!”.

 
This was a big message for me as you will see from the title of my blog. I have been on a long path to letting my voice out and I am beginning to do it more now. Even though some of my thoughts go against the tide of popular spiritual beliefs, I am being me and speaking my own thoughts, regardless of whether other people approve of me or not. This is a breakthrough for me.
 
And my second dream was incredibly telling.
  
In this dream I dreamt I was talking and intimately connecting with a guy in the audience for an event. I felt this most intense love for this man; my heart was bursting in my dream; I remember feeling so much love I was gushing with emotion, and tears were physically flowing down my face. In the dream he was loving me back, but also said to me as he began to leave to go somewhere: ‘Did anyone in the audience see that we are together?’ and I didn’t feel hurt by his remark. I told him: ‘No, but the people on the stage saw, and Oprah Winfrey saw, but none of them will say anything to anyone’. And then I walked him out the hall. As I woke up I recalled who he was, a character in a series I watch called ‘Once Upon A Time’ and in the magical world he is from, he was Pinocchio.
 
 
I loved Pinocchio deeply, and I realised that I could now have respect and love for the part of me that I’d been feeling so bad about for so long.
 
I had fallen in love with my Pinocchio self. And now it is time to understand this further.
 

Why Do We Lie?

Now I don’t feel I’m the only person who has lied in their lives, so this is why I’ve published this post. But loving my Pinocchio, I have discovered that lying has been such a safe protection for me, for most of my life. I was not comfortable with who I was; I did not fit in; and I found it immensely challenging to communicate verbally. So Pinocchio protected me. Like a guard at my door when people intentionally try to hurt me, or when the world felt somewhat mean to me as a child, Pinocchio saved me. And even to some extent now Pinocchio helps me feel safe. I don’t want to rely on Pinocchio any-more.

 
As a society we probably all lie to some extent to protect ourselves if we feel too vulnerable: 
 

“Saints may always tell the truth, but for mortals living means lying. We lie to protect our privacy (“No, I don’t live around here”); to avoid hurt feelings (“Friday is my study night”); to make others feel better (“Gee you’ve gotten skinny”); to avoid recriminations (“I only lost $10 at poker”); to prevent grief (“The doc says you’re getting better”); to maintain domestic tranquility (“She’s just a friend”); to avoid social stigma (“I just haven’t met the right woman”); for career advancement (“I’m sooo lucky to have a smart boss like you”); to avoid being lonely (“I love opera”); to eliminate a rival (“He has a boyfriend”); to achieve an objective (“But I love you so much”); to defeat an objective (“I’m allergic to latex”); to make an exit (“It’s not you, it’s me”); to delay the inevitable (“The check is in the mail”); to communicate displeasure (“There’s nothing wrong”); to get someone off your back (“I’ll call you about lunch”); to escape a nudnik (“My mother’s on the other line”); to namedrop (“We go way back”); to set up a surprise party (“I need help moving the piano”); to buy time (“I’m on my way”); to keep up appearances (“We’re not talking divorce”); to avoid taking out the trash (“My back hurts”); to duck an obligation (“I’ve got a headache”); to maintain a public image (“I go to church every Sunday”); to make a point (“Ich bin ein Berliner”); to save face (“I had too much to drink”); to humor (“Correct as usual, King Friday”); to avoid embarrassment (“That wasn’t me”); to curry favor (“I’ve read all your books”); to get a clerkship (“You’re the greatest living jurist”); to save a dollar (“I gave at the office”); or to maintain innocence (“There are eight tiny reindeer on the rooftop”)….  

An important aspect of personal autonomy is the right to shape one’s public and private persona by choosing when to tell the truth about oneself, when to conceal, and when to deceive. Of course, lies are often disbelieved or discovered, and that, too, is part of the push and pull of social intercourse. But it’s critical to leave such interactions in private hands, so that we can make choices about who we are. How can you develop a reputation as a straight shooter if lying is not an option? ”                       

                                                                                                                 ~Judge Kozinsk

And realising that this is something most of us do has brought me some relief.

Lying doesn’t mean I am or was a bad person. I was and I am a human being.

Sometimes if the ego is fragile and faced with someone who ‘appears’ ultra confident, we lie to save face; we lie to feel emotionally safe; to not feel so small; to not feel so inferior. And I imagine with time, as we become more balanced, and feel more compassion for who we really are, we have no need to exaggerate the truth to feel safe.

Does it mean I am fake? Or am I simply lovingly protecting myself so that I can relate to this sometimes scary, but also beautiful world? Fake to only my true self who is natural, authentic and confident perhaps..

Can I love Pinocchio fully? Will I give up lying altogether?

Is it a bad thing to lie? Do you lie? And what kind of things do you lie about?

How do you feel about lying?

We’re all in this together in this world. Perhaps it’s now time to bring these shadows into the light so they are no longer ‘wrong’ or judged to be bad, and only then can we begin to embrace who we really are without the need to amend the truth about our knowledge, our status, our understanding, our wisdom, our talents, and begin to be honest with the world. Perhaps the world can handle more honesty now, perhaps we are reaching a time when it is okay to verbalise our thoughts in ways that work for us, and not what we feel will work for others.

I have favourite characters in movies and on television. The characters I love the most are often eccentric, deeply honest individuals. I love Phoebe from ‘Friends’, Miranda from the British TV series and anyone who openly says what they feel when they feel it. No holding back. They know who they are and they don’t feel the need to exaggerate or change for others (albeit Miranda does try but she shows exactly what happens when we try to be someone we’re not). I guess it all comes down to fear, which is the reason I may not be like this, but I would like to be. Fear of whether people will approve.

But, I’m aware that total honesty is not a possibility in our social interactions; that if we all told everyone else exactly what we thought of them, society would fall apart. It couldn’t function.

This is one of the problems when parents tell children that they must never lie, because the children see and hear their patents lying quite frequently. We need to explain to them that being honest to the point of hurting other people’s feelings is not good, and that there are some circumstances where we would be justified to either not tell the whole truth, or to distort the truth to protect another’s feelings.

It’s a difficult balance to achieve, but children need guidance so that they can function as valued members of society.

I think that the most important honesty is being honest with ourselves, and that’s not easy.

Letting Approval Go

As someone who has kept her mouth shut for most of her life for fear of embarrassment, I would like to let the need for approval from others go now. It may take some time to do this. I know it’s a pattern I have been following for 30+ years. I wonder if I can do it now. Baby steps, one moment at a time.

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Kelly Martin
Kelly Martin

Kelly Martin, author of ‘When Everyone Shines But You’ is a dedicated writer and blogger who fearlessly explores life’s deepest questions. Faced with a decade of profound anxiety and grief following the loss of her father and her best friend Michael, Kelly embarked on a transformative journey guided by mindfulness, and she hasn’t looked back since. Through her insightful writing, engaging podcasts, and inspiring You Tube channel Kelly empowers others to unearth the hidden treasures within their pain, embracing the profound truth that they are ‘enough’ exactly as they are.

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8 Comments

  1. September 29, 2013 / 2:39 pm

    Thanks for sharing, Kelly. Interestingly, I have had a slight ego reaction about the 'lying' part .. because I consider myself an honest person and I have been told that I am too honest.

    Certain things, for example if I know I've been given too much change, I would tell the person because I think that karma is good to you when you're honest in them kind of situations. Other things like saying I enjoy working in a certain job when at a job interview, may not be true but I feel like I 'have' to say it to have any chance of getting the job.

    And you're dead right, if all of society said what we really thought of each other, we couldn't function. Workplaces would be a nightmare .. with the boss knowing that everyone hates him 😉 lol.

    But yeah there are some instances where I must lie but I don't consider it 'bad' to do so. I lived effectively a lie for a number of years when I was involved in Christianity, but I was emotionally fucked up for most of that time and I couldn't see another way of living. I think deep down I knew something was not quite right about how my old church was run, but I would never have said anything. I was just a good, obedient boy. Eventually, everything exploded and I went through hell before I eventually escaped out of Christianity.

    With school, I never really was involved with a peer group, can't remember if I ever made much of an attempt to fit in but I was so painfully shy.

    You're on an interesting journey – keep it up – inspirational stuff 🙂

  2. September 29, 2013 / 2:57 pm

    LOL interestingly I had an ego reaction to your ego reaction LOL As I am honest about most things when it comes to other people, I would never keep hold of something that is not mine, if someone gives me wrong change I tell them – so my ego thought you thought from my post that I was lying about things like that and it soccer punched me in the chest and gut – ouch! Taking things personally – oops!

    Most people lie, much like what the judge said above its part of social interaction. For example if a homeless man comes up to me and is aggressive and demanding money from me I am likely to tell him I have none because I may feel uncomfortable about the aggression. Or if someone makes sexual advances to me and I am not interested to make a quick clear 'go away' sign I may say I am with someone. I would like to think I could be strong enough some day to say 'no I am not giving you money you are mean and scare me!' My friend has chased someone who was like that before and fair play to her.

    I think at school it can be different for guys, women bond on mutual conversation and interests. If you don't know what to say among a bunch of chatting women it can be a challenge as child or teenager.

  3. September 29, 2013 / 3:16 pm

    haha no I wasn't saying you were lying about things like that. But I'm sure you realise that anyway 🙂 It's understandable to lie about the things you mention in the second paragraph, and yeah fair play to your friend 🙂

  4. September 29, 2013 / 3:20 pm

    LOL See how the ego operates LOL

  5. September 29, 2013 / 4:40 pm

    Great post, Kelly, and so ironic, cos I've written a post about my shadows today. It seems that a few of us are having to face them. I look forward to the next instalment! I think its important to not think about it as us lying to other people, when its really usually us lying to ourselves and I can see in this post, that's what you're facing. Its refreshing and lovely to hear this from you. Its open, honest and a real vulnerable thing for you to talk about. There is such a stigma related to our shadows and lying is one of the biggest one. I feel that you've come a huge way to even be aware. I'm there with you, but my shadows are Jealousy and 'better than' xx

  6. September 29, 2013 / 5:00 pm

    Thank you sweetheart, yes we are so coming together with our processing at the moment. I do wonder if it is the groups energy as a collective. I am glad it is all coming up. I faced some parts of my shadow many moons ago but this is some of the deeper nitty gritty stuff now. And my shadow also has jealousy and better than but I feel its also deeper and this is the beginning of releasing shame. Big Hugs I will check your post out.

  7. September 30, 2013 / 12:47 am

    This is an excellent article, Kelly. Congratulations on your breakthrough and kudos to you for being willing to share it. As you say, we all lie at times. Sometimes people ask personal questions that they should not ask. In trying to teach my granddaughter not to lie by making up an answer, I encouraged her to say, "Why do you ask?" If they persist, say: "I don't want to share that."

  8. September 30, 2013 / 7:40 am

    Hi Myra, thanks so much.It is wonderful what you are doing with your granddaughter, what a great way to encourage authenticity at a young age.

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