"I am one tough cookie!"
Do you often worry about what other people think? Does it make you second-guess yourself, causing you to freeze in the middle of your intentions?
Do you deeply embody slights from others (real or perceived)? Do you allow cruel (or even teasing) jabs to get under your skin, tearing your self-esteem down in the process?
We all ruminate on things that others have done to us. But perhaps it’s time to ask yourself some difficult questions and to expect some honest answers. To wave goodbye to debilitating worries over things you cannot control. To stop excuses from standing in the way of your path to harmony and serenity.
Becoming mindful of your reactions and responses goes a long way in changing the ones that do not serve you. Self-awareness and insight can help you analyze what is going on in your life and what you can do to make things run more smoothly.
Are you willing to expand your outlook, to go a bit deeper?
• Identify specific events that make you feel the way you don’t want to feel. Try to determine when worry sets in: who or what triggers it, what else is going on at the time.
• Write out how you’ve reacted in the past, separating the positive (helpful) responses from the negative (not-so-helpful) ones.
• Pick one situation and write out the best possible scenario for reacting (one that would be helpful to you and to other involved parties). Include the specific wording you would use to respond in such a way.
• Practice the best scenario wording, out loud if you have a chance. (This step may feel silly at first, but can be extremely effective in changing the way you react the next time. Try it.)
• Begin dissecting (and hopefully understanding) why you care what others think. Is it possible (or even necessary) to please everybody all of the time? Of course not! Then why do you keep opening yourself up to this kind of agony? What if you just didn’t care? Would the world come to an end? Remember that you simply cannot control other people or external events.
• Use affirmations if necessary: I am confident. I am worth it. I feel fear, but I don’t let it stop me. I will keep moving forward just like I have in the past. I am strong and courageous. I do what I think is right. I am my own best advocate. I am one tough cookie!
• Think about what you want out of life, what pleases you, what brings you joy. How can you hold yourself in higher esteem and stop giving your power away to others? Focus on things that delight you, things that contribute to positive energy.
• If you must worry about something, worry about your own opinion . . . of you! Do you like yourself? Why or why not? If not, how can you raise yourself in your own eyes? Concentrate on building yourself up.
Take good care of YOU. Whatever that looks like, with no apologies. Any time you feel strongly about doing or not doing something, about saying or not saying something, honor and respect yourself enough to listen. Take good care of YOU.
Be who you are, who you were meant to be. Open the door and invite this exciting new way of thinking and feeling and behaving into your everyday. And embrace what you are welcoming in – a new way of responding that dissipates fear and anxiety, that is emotionally healthy, that takes good care of YOU. Good luck on your new adventure! What can you do today that will bring you closer to being your own best advocate? Tell me about it in the comments (and then DO IT.) ******* click to receive my studio notes in your inbox each week. (and get my complimentary guide to the essence7 journey as my gift to you!) [maxbutton id="1"]
