Awareness Is Salvation

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I came across a TikTok of a young lady boldly saying she refused to want to know certain information. Her words? “If I don’t know, it won’t hurt me.”

That sounds comforting on the surface. But the truth? It couldn’t be further from reality.

I’ve lived that lie before. I remember dating someone for years, convinced we were building forever together. When I discovered he was living a double life, it was crippling. Had I known sooner, I would have walked away long before the truth broke me. Awareness would have given me the choice to protect myself. It could have saved me from danger, because let’s be honest, some women will harm you over a man. If I had known, I would have been ready, alert, on guard.

But I didn’t know. And not knowing didn’t keep me safe; it kept me trapped.

Awareness is more than just knowing facts about people; it’s also about knowing yourself.

On a psychological level, being unaware of how our traumas shape us is one of the most dangerous blind spots we can carry. Buried in our subconscious, those wounds quietly make decisions for us. They choose our partners, guide our reactions, and even shape our patterns without us realizing it. But the moment we bring that pain into awareness, life shifts. We become free. We start making choices for ourselves, not our trauma.

I’ll never forget when I first learned about narcissism. At first, I couldn’t eat for days. The realization that narcissists raised me shook me to my core. But even deeper? I recognized I had been choosing partners who mirrored exactly what I was raised in. That knowledge hurt, but it also healed. Because once I was aware, I couldn’t unsee it. And that awareness gave me the strength to walk away from the relationship I was in at the time because he was exactly like my mother.

Awareness may sting at first. It may leave you feeling disoriented, raw, or even grieving. But it is the very thing that stops cycles. It’s the doorway to freedom.

This is why I don’t hesitate to walk away anymore. Awareness has become my salvation. I’d rather face a painful truth than stay blind in a comfortable lie.

Because what we don’t know will keep us bound.
But what we dare to see will set us free.

Reflection Prompts

  1. Have you ever discovered something that hurt deeply but also set you free? What did it teach you?

  2. What cycles in your life might be continuing because you’ve been avoiding awareness?

  3. Think of a recent situation: what truth have you been hesitant to face, and how might embracing it change you?

  4. How can you begin practicing awareness daily in your relationships, your thoughts, and your choices?

💛 Thank you for reading! I hope today’s post sparked reflection, inspiration, or maybe even a little healing. Be sure to check back next week for a new dose of truth, growth, and real talk here on Unaltered Voices, where authenticity always has a seat at the table.

🌐 Visit https://payhip.com/UnalteredVoices to explore more resources, guides, and inspiration for your personal and creative journey. See you next week!

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