The Shady Salesman of the Mind

Metaphorical Narrative

Imagine walking through a market where every stall sells something you already own. A shady salesman leans over his counter, waving your own wallet in your face.
“Look, I reminded you about this earlier,” he hisses. “You didn’t listen. That will cost you extra.”

It’s absurd — the thing in his hands was yours all along. But if you let him talk long enough, you’ll pay for it again in shame, stress, or guilt.

Core Insight

This is how the ego operates. It loves to masquerade as “helpful.” It will remind you of the underwear you forgot to wash, the errand you delayed, the conversation you didn’t have. But its reminders aren’t free. They come with invoices.

The ego resells your own awareness, adding a markup of judgment.
Fact: the underwear is dirty.
Ego’s markup: “You’re careless. You never listen. This proves you’re not enough.”

The difference between simple awareness and ego’s counterfeit usefulness is massive. One gives you clarity; the other drains you. Sovereignty means catching the moment before you pay the inflated price.

Identity Shift Tie-In

When you refuse the shady salesman, you shift identity. You stop being the guilty customer and start being the owner of the stall. The fact remains — laundry needs doing — but it carries no story.

This is identity sovereignty: awareness without auction. You own the fact without owing the ego anything.

Saturday Experiment

Catch one shady salesman today. Notice when a simple fact gets turned into a bill of guilt.

• Step 1: Name the fact. (“The dishes are unwashed.”)
• Step 2: Spot the markup. (“You’re lazy. You always fail.”)
• Step 3: Cancel the invoice. (“This is just dishes. I choose what it means.”)

Sunday Reflection

Write in third person:

• How did the shady salesman show up today?
• What invoice did he try to charge?
• How did the observer cancel the payment?