The Answer is Self-trust

516 words | 2 mins 3 secs read time

The current introduction to the proposal for my book, The Courage Practice, begins in part like this,

This book is for my daughter. A baby girl of Black and Pakistani descent, growing up in California, a state notorious for cutting-edge mindful pursuits, none of which have solved the ills of oppression or the effect of those systems on her well-being.

When I think about this opening, I often ask myself what I want most for my daughter, considering this sentiment. The answer that always comes back is self-trust.

Understanding Self-Trust

As people of color, we are conditioned to look outside ourselves for answers. Even though we know there are systems in place to hold us back, those same systems blame us for our lack of achievement compared to the dominant group. Often, we take on this blame (internalized oppression) and stop trusting our inner kn…