Morning Pogue,

Remember how we talked and expressed our amazement over the narrative that the Russian people were being told about the war in Ukraine? How the invasion of a sovereign nation was being passed off as an act of defence. Then seeing TV interviews with everyday Russians who wholeheartedly believed what they were being told. The narrative seems so far removed from the truth, at least the truth we believe we have been told. And that begs the question, “Are we sure we are being told the truth”? Or maybe the narrative we are receiving has been tailored to win our approval.

I’m currently reading Happy Sexy Millionaire by Steve Bartlett, an account of how the author went from nothing to a vast fortune and, along the way he discovered, to his surprise, that being very rich did not deliver the happiness and joy he had been told it would. Indeed, all the trappings of wealth, the big house, the cars, the things he bought, these did not bring contentment. His early observation? We are lied to all our lives about what we need to be happy, to enjoy life. We are lied too by big business, by the advertising agencies, by those who have actually never been rich, into believing happiness is just another purchasable entity. Indeed, it’s just one more possession away.

Then I watched a programme concerning the things we are told about our bodies. What is an acceptable, desirable, sexy body (what happened to beauty being in the eye of the beholder?). I watched the lengths companies go to in order that they can create a figure, a look, an image that people would want to have. Then the programme picked out a company that wasn’t promoting an ideal but rather using models with all their imperfections. A little over weight. Stretch marks not digitally removed. Grey hairs. Not absolutely perfect teeth. And they were receiving big praise. Praise for what? Praise for telling the truth. Telling it like it is. For affirming that its OK to be who you are.

My point on this fine Monday is, we get lied to all the time. In fact, it’s no longer seen as lying, it’s advertising, it’s controlling the narrative for our own best interests, it’s bringing us hope that things can be better. But it’s not!

Telling me I just need this possession to find happiness is a lie. Oh it may bring me moments of pleasure but how long before I’m being told I need to add to it? To be told I will be accepted and have friends if I wear this fashion, have my teeth whitened, lose a few more kgs or whatever, and by the way we’re the business that can deliver what you need, is just a fabrication.

The world’s reached a place where we no longer know what is and isn’t the truth.

So my encouragement to you is to live in the moment, not live for something that is in the future. Enjoy what you have here and now. Work with what you have. Don’t get persuaded to always believing you’re not normal until you’ve changed, until have become a person defined by someone else. Hang with people who love you as you are today. And if you’re told something that diminishes the possibility of being happy now, that points down the road and tell you happiness is down there, it’s probably a lie.

In this Monday morning moment we need to learn to love who we are. Not as easy as it sounds. But until we are content with what we are and have in this moment nothing we might later have or be will really change things. Love who you are and you have a foundation to build on. Accept your imperfection’s because, well actually who determines what perfect is? And accept others as they are which will strengthen them and allow them the freedom to just be.

This week write your own narrative, curves, skin blemishes, stretch marks, grey hairs and all. Beauty really does lie within and rest in the eye of the beholder.

Yours, standing naked in front of the mirror😳

Wic