Your #1 Critic

As a bit of a follow up to the post 1 month ago (almost to the day) titled "Your #1 Asset," I wanted to touch on your #1 critic.

Of course the answer to this one is the same as your #1 asset: You. Weird if you think about it. Why is it that we are our own worst critic? Why is it that we constantly talk negative to ourselves? "You can't do that, it's too tough." "You? Are you kidding? HAHAHA. You think you can just go and join a sports team? HAHA. Everyone will be better than you. You will just embarrass yourself. Don't even try out."

Odd I find it that we hold our selves down instead of lifting our selves up. Are we taught to do this somewhere? I don't recall my parents teaching me to talk negative to my self. I also don't recall my parents saying those negative things to me. Saying I can't do it. 

I have read/heard a few sayings I want to add in here to help us get out of this constant bullying of our selves. 

1. Fear stands for False Evidence Appearing Real.

2. Fear knocked on the door, faith answered and no one was there. 

3. Action cures fear.

I feel it has everything to do with fear. We attempt to protect ourselves from harm because we fear getting hurt, when in reality we are harming ourselves from potential growth. We don't ask that girl/guy out because we fear rejection. What goes through your head? "There is no way a girl/guy like them would like a person like me. I'm not good enough. They will just laugh at me in front of the whole class." Little did we know that she/he was waiting on us to just ask. 

I tried an exercise I read in a book. It goes something like this (paraphrasing): Every time you get a thought of "I can't do that...That is too hard...I wouldn't be any good at that" ask your self what proof do you have that it would be to hard. Have you ever tried it before? Probably not. You are just fearing the False Evidence Appearing Real. 

I have come to realize that it rarely is ever as bad as you imagine it. You get all these scenarios of what is going to happen. You picture them laughing at you and think your so crazy for even thinking you were good enough to apply for this job. Then when you get some courage and do it they actually commend you for applying for the job that was above your abilities and give you a shot at it anyways. 

Next time you think a negative thought about your self, think 2 positive ones and just go do whatever it is your are wanting to do.