It is fall in the Northern Hemisphere and our backyard squirrels are burying acorns in our flower beds.  When we came across this wonderful acorn story, we saw the metaphor of acorns in a different light.

Once upon a time, there was a kingdom of acorns—-a myriad of acorns nestled at the foot of a grand old oak tree.    Since the citizens of this kingdom were modern, and fully Westernized acorns, they went about their business with purposeful energy; and since they were a mixture of generations ranging from millennials to baby-boomer acorns, they engaged in a lot of self-help courses.


One day a knotty little stranger appeared, who apparently dropped “out of the blue.” He was odd, cap less and dirty, making an immediate negative impression on his fellow acorns.   Crouched beneath the oak tree, he stammered out a strange and wild tale.   Pointing upward at the grand oak tree, he spoke to all that would listen to him, and said, “We…are…that!”

Delusional thinking, obviously, the other acorns concluded and ignored him.    But one or two others continued to engage him in conversation:  “So tell us, how would we become that tree?”

“Well,” said he, pointing downward, “it has something to do with going into the ground…and cracking open our shell.”

“Insane,” they responded. “Totally morbid!   Why, then, we wouldn’t be acorns anymore!”

The point, amidst the humor, is obvious.  An acorn is a seed with the gift of the grand oak inside.  Its nature and destiny is to be a grand oak tree.  Remaining “just an acorn” is a case of mistaken identity.

When you are stuck in a limited view of yourself, you too have a case of mistaken identity.

All of psychology, and even the ancient spiritual traditions, teach there are two “I’s” inside of you.  The “I” that is the small and “mistaken” self sometimes called the “lower self” or “false self.”

The “small I” that is powerless in the face of life’s challenges (the Victim mentality), believes it is only an acorn and therefore must defend and protect itself.   When you are mired in the Dreaded Drama Triangle (DDT) ™ you cannot see any further than your own hard shell.

You focus on the “me” and who or what is to blame (the Persecutor) for your smallness.    We all do!  It is our default way of operating as a human being when we feel fearful or unsafe and in our mistaken identity.  TED* (*The Empowerment Dynamic) ® is an upgrade in your identity and is, in fact, your true identity.

Any mistake you have about the way you view yourself will manifest in a mistake about the way you view the outer world.    If you see only the seed with a shell inside you, and no way to nourish and become the grand oak, you will not see it in others either.

This case of mistaken identity can happen at work by limiting the view you have of co-workers or your boss.  It can also happen at home and the way you limit your view of your loved ones.

A joy-filled and empowered life does not begin until you break open your shell and allow the fertile soil to nourish your true identity.   It means leaving the comfort of your smaller beliefs about yourself, to make the leap—-break open your shell and allow yourself to become the giant oak—and Creator—that you truly are!

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