Motivational Monday: It’s Not What You Think You Are That’s Holding You Back…

by | Oct 9, 2017 | 0 comments

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“It’s not who you think you are that’s holding you back…it’s who you think you’re not.”
 While I don’t know the author of these words, I find them to be true in  many situations. There are many times when that voice inside our head is so active, but it’s not always saying the right things.

What Others Think

You know what?:Motivational Monday 45 Follow Your Heart featured

I don’t care what people think.  Really. Honestly.  As far as general “people”, I’m not so concerned. Of course I value what my close friends and some family members think, but I’m not going to let it stop me from following my gut, from following my heart , or from going where I need to go.

Actually, people always ask me, “How do you do that?) How do you not succumb to the social pressure to conform, wonder how people will judge you and think about what they say behind your back?

Well, the truth is that I’ve had a lot of practice. I’ve always been a little weird, a little different  In fact, I learned early on from many strong heroines in pieces of literature that it was okay to be weird and different. Avi’s Charlotte, for example, Anne of Green Gables, Elizabeth in Sweet Valley Twins, a few of the girls from The Babysitters’ Club to name a few others.

They were adamant that being different was fine, that people could love you for your inner beauty and that there was more than meets the eye to most people.

Isn’t the power of literature and reading on a child’s brain impressive? If you’re looking for resources on bullying in schools, this page has some good ones. Maybe reading about strong heroes who overcome adverse situations and are happy  non-conformists can help.

So thinking I’m “not cool” or “not worthy” or “not a (insert dream profession here) won’t help, but how do you avoid the thoughts?

It’s really about ignoring the naysayers, in my view. The people who stand in your way and cast doubt on your dreams, those who ignore you and insist that what they think is the only my way to go about achieving your goals. Keeping these negative thoughts out of your train of thought can be difficult!

How To Ignore the Naysayers

First, be sure that you surround yourself with positive people. Sometimes, that’s not easy. When your goal seems like a stretch to you, it may seem “impossible” to others.
Don’ t let them get you down! Be sure you set specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely goals (grab some tips on how to set goals here)
Next, focus your thoughts on your plan. Away from negativity and towards possibility. Remember that you don’t need negative thoughts to make achieving goals even more difficult than it already is. Surround yourself by positive people who will support you in your pursuits.
So where do I find these people you ask? Well, a variety of strategies has worked for me, but If you’re really stuck thinking of people you know, try doing completely new activities. Meeting new people on sites like Meetup  works really well, too.

 

Calming Your Inner Dialogue 

Motivational Monday 30 - Intuition

I wrote a whole motivational post on quiet minds and the intuition they can foster. When we manage to calm the mind, thoughts become more clear.

 There’s a catch though:

As much as am focused on my own thoughts, not the judgment of others, I have trouble with this one myself! So, the advice in that post is based mainly on research and as tad of experience on what not to do.

I have trouble with this one myself! So, the advice in that post is based mainly on research and some If you know me, you know that I’m really energetic and often have a hard time with the “inner peace” idea.  In fact, I wrote a whole motivational post on quiet minds  and the intuition they bring to the table.

Do you have any tips for me? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

Talking To Yourself (In A Great Way)

Here are 3 tips:

1.   Pretend You’re A Friend

This is one of the points that hit me hardest when I first heard about Mel Robbins 5 second rule TED Talk. She says  “You wouldn’t hang out with people who talk to you the way you talk yo yourself”. So true in my case. Remember not to be too hard on yourself (It’s hard to be gentle!).

2. Use Constructive Criticism

Rather than telling yourself what you do wrong so the turn, catch yourself when you’re doing something right. Maybe you had a really productive day, or you remembered to slow down and breathe to calm yourself down, or powered through a project before a deadline.

3. Think Positively, Act Willingly

Rather than telling yourself what you do wrong so the turn, catch yourself when you’re doing something right. Maybe you had a really productive day, or you remembered to slow down and breathe to calm yourself down, or powered through a project before a deadline. Be sure to think about the things you do right, too, and acknowledge them.

Well, I hope this little Monday post was helpful.  What do you to ensure you believe you can reach your goals? Let me know in the comments below 🙂

Have a lovely and productive Monday!

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P.S. Photo fans, the photo for today’s post (and poster!) is one I took in Keswick, England in 2013


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