Do you ever feel burdened and overly critical of yourself? Do you feel emotionally blocked and worn down? These emotions and self-evaluations can affect your body, your work, your relationships, and your general perceptions. When you are not present for you, you most certainly cannot be present for others. Likewise, when you can’t reach your superhuman expectations, your disappointment and self-punishments are overly harsh. You deserve more than you are giving yourself.
This is what I have found helps me snap out of this negative, judgmental space I am describing:
- Recognize what you are doing and label it. “[Example: Oh yeah, I'm judging myself again.]
- Tell or gesture yourself to stop. Then, breathe! [STOP! Pause]
- Give yourself a new message [Example: "I am worthy." "I need not be perfect to be loved."]
- Be mindful of how your perception changes [You can actually sense when your body and emotions are lighter. You are now on an upward path]
- Engage in some level of self-care [walking, listening to music, etc]
- Surround yourself with others that support you and give you positive feedback
Give these steps a try. You can decide if you want to develop them into a practice or not. This is your path and your life. Just see if/how it helps.
All I know is this: you do not need to be the perfect daughter, sister, wife, mother, employee/employer, businesswoman, lover, and friend. If you carry even half of these roles, I think you are amazing, creative, and powerful in your own right.You deserve to give yourself the benefit of the doubt.
I will be working on these myself in the coming weeks. Let’s support each other!
Only the greatest blessings as you work towards living a life of authentic joy!
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