Don’t Be Your Worst Enemy
You Are Your Worst Enemy
How often do you find yourself dwelling on negative “me” thoughts? …Criticizing yourself, putting yourself down, thinking, “I’m not as good as so, and so… that’s why I failed?
How many times have you made a mistake that’s magnified, because you believe you’re flawed. If you fall into any of these categories, then, like many people, you are your worst enemy.
We tend to think that most opposition comes from around us — a complaining spouse, a controlling boss, a road-raging driver — but rarely do we acknowledge the truth of the matter: we are often our own worst enemy.
Self-criticism
Your self-critical voice can often lead you down the path to anxiety and depression. Fortunately, you can stop yourself from going down this slippery slope. When you become aware of the “monster” inside of yourself, understand what is happening, and get the upper hand on that inner voice you’re on the road to conquering self-criticism.
Here are eight techniques to stop your self-critical voice, and your journey to “nowhere,” so you can think better about yourself.
- Let go of victory
It’s nice to win, but you don’t have to win all the time. The lust for victory can often lead a person to keep chugging along a path of stupidity, wastefulness, and recklessness. On the other hand, sometimes it’s good to admit defeat and win a lesson learned instead. - Stop trying to please everyone
You cannot make everyone happy all of the time. Rushing around and trying to make other people happy is a huge cause of self-defeating behavior. Whether you’re doing it at work or in your relationships, trying to make everyone happy all the time can cost you your health and peace of mind. - Accept imperfection
If you seek perfection, you will never find completion. Can you imagine great artists like Michelangelo continuing to work and work on the Sistine Chapel, because it wasn’t exactly the way he wanted it? Nothing would ever get done! Imperfection is part of being human, and most of the time, you’re the only one who will notice your mistakes anyway. - Eliminate bad habits
These days, most people have bad habits that relate to technology, like obsessively checking our email or social media accounts. Take stock of how you spend your time. Make a detailed log of the minutes and hours, and see how much time you might be wasting on these pursuits. - Overcome fear
Fear is something that holds most people back from living a purposeful life. You can’t fly if you don’t jump, and you can’t jump if you’re afraid. Fear doesn’t necessarily have to be a direct sense of trepidation. It might be disguised as laziness or avoidance. - Stop being a lone wolf
Everybody needs help sometimes, even lone wolfs. Don’t be ashamed to ask for help when you need it, because a severe, self-imposed sense of independence could be doing you more harm than good. Whether it’s in business or personal life, make friends, accept help, and seek help when it’s needed. - Drop the guilt
Allow yourself to enjoy life, even if your past is checkered. People can change and grow, so you don’t have to let your past hold you back. Most of us are raised with a mentality that we have to slave away for someone else and only enjoy the weekend, but you can break free from this thought prison. - Stop, and breathe deeply
Focusing on your breath while taking several deep inhalations helps to bring you back to the present while breaking your self-critical thought(s). Try taking two or three deep breaths every time negative thoughts come into your mind and simple as it is to do, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the results.
When you free yourself from criticizing yourself you’ll find that you’re no longer on the path to anxiety and depression.
You don’t have to be your own worst enemy.
“Self-criticism, like self-administered brain surgery, is perhaps not a good idea.
Can the ‘self’ see the ‘self’ with any objectivity?” — Joyce Carol Oates
This article was originally published on my site at https://donnapresents.com/dont-be-your-worst-enemy/.
Meditation is a habit that may come easily to some. I have been meditating for over five years, but there were many days I found myself slipping. These days, not so much, not since I’ve printed out and put on my vision board over my desk these Positive Mindset graphics from Alice Seba at Publish for Prosperity. You can get these graphics at no cost here.
If you’re interested in revitalizing your life through meditation and would like to learn a virtually risk-free, and cost-effective practice, that people of all ages can do with a little patience and guidance and that will serve you for the rest of your life, I would love to connect with you. You can connect with me here.
I’m Donna SLam, who loves to blog about how meditation brings self-compassion, peace of mind, and clarity to my life and others by sharing tips and strategies to live a fulling and purposeful life. I enjoy championing others to lead a healthy and happy life through meditation, walking, self-development, and spending time with loved ones.
