In my last post I made a brief mention about negative self talk and how it effects you without you even realizing it. Maybe it's a habit that slowly forms throughout our lives and we don't even realize we've formed this bad habit. But eventually negativity crushes your spirit and soul. It's sort of like a slow growing cancer that takes over your body and mind.
Throughout life, some of us learn that taking a risk may result in a bad possible outcome; maybe you'll look stupid, maybe you'll fail, maybe others will think your dream is ridiculous or not even meaningful, maybe no one will support your idea, maybe no one will even care. The downsides of taking a risk can be quite scary, especially if you've been burned in the past. I'm mean lets be honest. No one wants look foolish or be a considered a "failure".
But there are people out there who recognize the positive side of taking risks. Are they afraid? Sure they are! But they don't let the worry of failure stop them. They take things into consideration without overthinking every single detail. Somewhere in their life journey they have discovered the beauty and contentment of a life WELL LIVED. They are willing to put forth the time, patience and persistence needed in achieving their goals. They don't strive for perfection, they strive for progress. CFM or continuous forward movement, as someone once told me.
And this is where I discovered one of my biggest personal flaws. Not only am I an over-thinker, I am a PERFECTIONIST!!! Somewhere in my life, I convinced myself that "if it isn't perfect, it isn't worth it". How stupid is that??? Because NOTHING in life is perfect, so why would I expect absolute perfection from myself? And if I happen to make a mistake! You better believe that NO ONE, and I mean NO ONE, will beat me up harder than I will beat myself up.
I realize now how much more difficult I have made certain tasks in my life, simply because I was searching for perfection as opposed to progress. At the age of 46 however, I am waking up to the reality that my soul needs a break from my perfectionist attitude.
After spending my summer surrounded by triathletes, I have learned something far greater than swimming, biking and running. Triathletes are simply everyday people who have accomplished some amazing things. They do not let their imperfections stop them from going out there and trying. If something goes wrong, they get back up and try again tomorrow. They don't let the opinion of others or the possibility of failure stop them from pursuing their dreams. They simply LOVE the sport and they willing to share that love with you, because they want you to love it too. The support they provide to one another is nothing short of amazing, and they have welcomed me into their family with open arms.
I have had triathletes stay by my side in the open water when I was afraid to swim. They encouraged me and showed me what I can do to make things a bit easier for myself, especially when it came to the swim and bike. They have let me borrow their precious gear without a second thought. They have openly shared their private stories with me. I realize now that I am not alone in my endeavor, and even more beautiful is how many of them remember what it was like to embark on this path when it was brand new to them.
Transforming myself into this new non-negative/non-perfection seeking person will take time, but I know it will be well worth it! I have decided it is time to give myself this very amazing gift.
If you want to read a truly wonderful article written by Jon Acuff, about being your worst critic, please click on the link below. It's a terrific read:
No comments:
Post a Comment