Gaslighting Yourself

Recently I caught myself gaslighting myself. This usually happens when I’m feeling small. When that happens, I discount my feelings, my needs and my desires. I have a story that other people are more important than I am, and that it is totally ok for others to go before me. When I am in this space, I’m not honoring my own boundaries and I’m not honoring myself.

When I realize I’m in this space, I try not to shame myself. I observe with curiosity and ask what is going on in this situation where I feel small? Are there younger parts of me who are talking right now? What can I do to help them - what are they trying to tell me? Many times feeling small comes from younger parts of ourselves who weren’t seen or heard, or were told they were too much. Having compassion for those parts of yourself who were unseen in the past can help heal the feeling of being small now.