Don't Beat Yourself Up

If you’re reading this article, then you probably at some point given yourself harsh criticism. Harsh criticism is never good. On the other hand, constructive criticism is better and can help you excel; whether its internally or externally. It’s important to understand that you’re always growing, learning, and navigating through life; a perpetual process. Bumps in the road are mere reminders of this point. The main idea of this article is to convince you that its normal to have high expectations of yourself, not meeting those expectations shouldn’t conjure up major self-doubt. Below are three reasons why you shouldn’t be too harsh on yourself.

1.?????Life is unpredictable

Life has a way of throwing curve balls and monkey wrenches. As we move through life, we are bound to encounter unfortunate circumstances periodically. These situations can be insignificant like getting a flat tire on the way to work or something tragic like losing a loved one unexpectedly. No matter the situation its very important for you to understand that stuff happens. There is nothing anyone can do or say that will help you see into the future. If there was that person would be extremely rich beyond all measures. Even though there is no way to predict the future, one thing you can do is build resiliency. Of course, this takes time. The good news is there are some ways to help mitigate the effects of unpredictability. Building a tight knit support structure of close friends and family can do just that. Connecting with people on an interpersonal level can do wonders for your spirituality and well-being. Occasionally, reach out to one family member, friend, associate, and or mentor and strike up a conversation. Let them know how valuable they are to you and ask general questions about how’s life on their end. Try not to talk about yourself too much. The key here is building an interest in someone other than yourself and cultivating a relationship that transcends time and distance. Having a strong support system can get you through the toughest times. Yes, there are times we had to endure poor dispositions that wasn’t our doing. Don’t spend countless hours of your precious time focusing on what went wrong. Acknowledge it, understand it, accept it, then move on. Live in the moment right now. Know that what took place isn’t your fault, but how you move forward and progress through your journey is.

2.?????You Are Good Enough

Every other day we doubt our abilities, self-worth, and value to society and sometimes even our families. These internal falsehoods couldn’t be further from the truth. The truth is, you have something to give back to the world. You are unique individual; no other human will come close to your physiology or likeness…ever. Yes, you will go have to endure tough times and yes you might not feel 100% every day. During your low points its ok to take some time off and take care of yourself. Many of us take one two-week vacation every year if that. This is not enough time for you to decompress and manage stress effectively throughout different seasons of the year. Go for a walk on a nature trail, catch some waves at the beach, get a massage or facial with aroma therapy, seek a mental health professional for your most troubling experiences, talk to your pastor or spiritual leader, and or just take a minute to reflect on your wonderful accomplishments. Spending time away from work and family can be a powerful tool in refocusing your energy and attention. Another powerful tool is positive self-talk. We can be harder on ourselves than other people. We can internalize very damaging thoughts and beliefs about ourselves; which can contribute to unnecessary stress. There’s something to be said about positive affirmations. Positive affirmations can uplift your sense of community, positivity, and contribute to an optimistic perspective on life. Try this, every day when you get up for work, school, or managing your own business say five things to yourself that makes you unique and or grateful to have. Repeat this three times before starting your day. You’ll thank me later.

3.?????Failure Is Normal

You will have many wins and losses. Many of your first attempts may not be successful and that’s ok. You have to reframe how you see failure. Failure is not only normal, but natural. It can be stressful when you fail a big exam, don’t get a second date, perform poorly on an interview, mismanage personal finances, and or alienate a close friend or colleague. All of these along with many other situations aren’t zero sum games. You can recover from these situations. All it takes is the belief that you can. Before you can embark on a journey to overcoming obstacles, you must first look within yourself and muster up the courage and willpower to do so. Look at the word “Fail” as an acronym to mean “First Attempt In Learning”. This will help recondition the negative connotation of the word failure in your mind. It goes the same whenever you hear someone tell you no. Look at the word “No” to stand in for “Next Opportunity”. The more “no’s” you get, the closer you are to a “yes”. Many things in life are purely a numbers game. Using high volume attempts is one of the main strategies sales people use. Traditionally, salespeople are trained to get past the first “no”. After, a couple of no’s salespeople usually get the idea you aren’t interested in their product or service. However, the salesperson will continue their same sales pitch hundreds if not thousands of times on other people until they get a sale. If you didn’t know, sales is one of the highest paid professions in the world. In conclusion, don’t let failure prevent you from reaching your full potential. Try again as many times as necessary to achieve the end goal.?#newblogpost #motivation #strategicmindset #dontbeatyourselfup #positivity #growthmindset #personaldevelopment #believeinyourself