You are a puppet.

“Those who do not move, do not notice their chains.” ~ Rosa Luxemburg

You are a puppet. So am I. Strings pull us—every desire, every belief, every reaction. They tug gently at times, violently at others, invisible but relentless. Your strings were tied long before you were aware of them, before you even knew you could move. Mine, too.

Our strings are our genetics, the intricate choreography of DNA that hums through our nervous system. They are the environment that shaped us, especially during the “critical period”—those first five to seven fragile years of life. The tone of voices around us, the lessons whispered or shouted—all of it twisted into the threads that guide our movements.

These strings don’t ask permission; they simply act. They are the way a certain kind of smile softens us or a harsh word stiffens our resolve. They are the stories we tell ourselves about the world and our place in it. They are the illusion of autonomy, our false sense of control.

And like puppets, we rarely notice. We believe our movements are our own, our decisions deliberate, our beliefs reasoned. But pause for a moment. Examine the strings. Feel the tug. What moves you? Is it fear? Longing? Anger? A habit so old it feels like truth? The strings don’t disappear because we ignore them. They tighten.

I am no different. My strings are woven from the same materials. I feel their pull, their insistence on the familiar. The comfort of my upbringing whispers to me, even when it limits me. The narratives of my past nudge me toward repetition, toward the safety of the dance I’ve always known.

It’s difficult—so difficult—to untangle the pull of these strings. I know because I’m right there with you. I stumble. I get caught in them. My strings grab hold when I least expect it. And yet, I keep going.

Here’s the secret. Puppets like us are not powerless. Awareness is the tool that can loosen those strings—not sever them, but lengthen them. To see the strings is to gain the freedom to move. It’s not easy. It takes effort to resist the well-worn rhythm, to create a new step. But it’s possible.

When you feel anger rise, notice it. When fear grips you, feel it. When a comforting belief speaks, question it. Awareness gives you pause, and in that pause, you can begin to move differently. You can stretch the strings in a direction they’ve never gone before.

I’ve been dancing on these strings for many years. It is imperfect and clumsy. My strings still catch me off guard, jerking me back when I think I’ve broken free. But each time I notice them, each time I challenge their pull, I relieve the tension and create the space to choreograph something new.

So yes, you are a puppet. But you are also the puppeteer. The dance is not predetermined. Feel the strings. See them. I know how hard it is—I feel it too. But you are not alone. I’m here, tangled, untangling, and dancing alongside you. Let’s create a movement only we could imagine.

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Stay passionate!