And as I was thinking about this chapter, I couldn't help but think about something we talked about before - which side are we reaching for - the left or the right side?
The question isn't, “Will I ever have a negative thought again?”
Of course I will.
The question is, which side am I going to reach for?
The left side can be so convincing. It can sound like it's protecting us, but really it's keeping us stuck in fear, shame, comparison, approval-seeking, or self-doubt.
And the right side calls us back to something different.
Truth.
Love.
Choice.
Growth.
Peace.
So maybe today, when you notice that familiar voice saying, “See? You're not enough,” you don't have to fight with it.
Just notice it.
And then reach for the other side.
Say, “No. I'm not going to participate in my own suffering. I'm going to stand with myself here.”
That's what I think choosing your own side really means.
Not that you never make mistakes.
Not that you never need to grow.
But that even in the moments when you need to grow, you don't have to become your own enemy.
You can correct yourself without condemning yourself.
You can challenge yourself without shaming yourself.
And you can grow while still loving the woman who is growing.
So today, when you catch yourself on the left side, just ask:
“Can I reach for the right?”
And then choose your own side.