Soft Steps Through the Dark – Part 9
Updated: Feb 16
Rewriting the Old Story: Letting Go of False Beliefs
Our shadows are often wrapped in stories we never chose.
“I’m too much.”
“I’m not enough.”
“I don’t deserve love.”
“I have to earn my worth.”
These aren’t truths. They’re beliefs born from pain—from childhood wounds, cultural messages, rejection, abandonment, trauma, or years of internalized criticism.
When we’re young and vulnerable, we absorb these beliefs like sponges. We don’t have the tools to question them, so we carry them like burdens. And then we build lives, relationships, and identities around these invisible scripts.
But shadow work brings awareness. And awareness brings choice.
In this part of the journey, we gently hold those beliefs up to the light and ask: Is this really mine? Is this really true?
We don’t rush to replace them. We offer understanding first. And then, like weeding a garden, we make space for something new to grow—something rooted in love, not fear.
🕯️ Mini Ritual: “The Story I Release, The Truth I Plant”
This ritual helps you release an old belief and plant a new truth in its place.
You’ll need:
A small piece of paper
A pen
A bowl of water or fire-safe dish
A seed or symbolic item (crystal, dried flower, charm, etc.)
1. Center Yourself:
Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Bring to mind a belief that has caused you pain—something you inherited or learned but no longer want to carry.
2. Write It Down:
On the paper, write the belief in your own words. Be honest, even if it feels heavy.
Example: “I am hard to love.” “I must be perfect to be safe.” “I’m not allowed to take up space.”
3. Release:
Gently submerge the paper in water or burn it (safely), watching it dissolve or turn to ash. As it fades, say:
“I release this story with love.
It is no longer mine to carry.”
4. Plant the New:
Hold your seed or symbolic item and speak your new truth aloud:
“I am lovable. I am whole. I am allowed to take up space.” (or whatever truth feels real and kind to you)
Keep this item somewhere sacred as a reminder of the new story you’re growing into.
🖋️ Journal Prompts
What are the core beliefs I’ve carried that feel limiting, painful, or false? Where do I think they came from?
How have these beliefs shaped my identity, choices, or relationships?
What emotions or fears come up when I imagine letting go of them?
What truths do I want to believe instead? What stories do I want to start telling about myself?
What does the version of me who believes these new truths look, feel, or live like?
🌿 Closing Reflection
Place a hand over your heart. Whisper:
“I am allowed to rewrite the story.
I choose love. I choose truth. I choose me.”
Let this be the beginning of your reclamation—not of a perfect self, but of a truer one.
🌸Blessed Be,
and may your heart meet its reflection with compassion.
— Bobbi Ann
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🌿 If today’s post spoke to you, the Soft Steps Companion Workbook offers more prompts, guided reflections, and creative exercises that pair with each part of this series. Learn more here.
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