My hope is the second meeting of TIPS was successful today. These women are wonderful, uplifting, powerful, women. I am blessed to be allowed to be a part of their group albeit be it long distance. Now on to the book I'm reading.....
There are 2 types of power. The first depends on your role in life and your influence over others. The President has more influence than I do. But all of us have some power to influence the world. The second kind of power is power over yourself..."to let yourself be the author, the agent, the one in control of your own life." I like that idea! However, there are times we give away that power. "You have a strong critical voice inside you that tells you in dozens of different ways that you don't have the complete set of rights to be in control of your own life, and when you believe the voice, you lose your courage." I am my worst critic, my own worst enemy."
The goal is to stop quieting the "critical voice" with food or any other behavior and instead become independent. That "critical voice" inside me has for too long attempted to control my life. I've quenched it momentarily by stuffing myself with food. Thinking "I control what I eat" when in reality, it is still controlling me.
Awareness:
- If I eat to avoid self-acusations rather than confront them, I may never get a chance to reform and remodel my conscience.
- I'm understanding that it's me that makes me feel powerless. Only I can give away my power.
- I've also learned that there is a part of me that measures myself by impossible standards, making me temporily powerless, it is my overly harsh conscience, that critical voice."
Goal this week: This week when I hear that "critical voice", I'm going to write down what emotion I've felt, what triggered it and what was my response: eat, cower, sleep????
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I agree that I also, am my own worst enemy! I'll be thinking of you this week and hope you will tune into that critical voice and learn something valuable!
ReplyDeleteWe live in such a 'supermom' world. We have to (or think we have to) be everything to everyone. When will we learn that we don't have to do it all? And the sad thing is, once you do it all for someone, it's hard for them to 'let you go'. Boundaries - I agree with Beth from our group. It's all about setting boundaries. Listening to our 'critical' voices and doing something about it - besides stuffing a 1/2 dozen cookies down our throat!
ReplyDeleteYou are right on target, Laura. It is the self talk that we have to address. Not to shush it, but to alter it. We need to truly address our emotions, to feel them, realize where they are coming from, getting to the root of the particular emotion we are dealing with, and giving ourselves and others love and forgiveness. I say to myself, "even though I _______, when __________, I love and accept myself. I repeat this, changing it as enlightenment comes, till I"m at the root of the matter, and can release it.
ReplyDeleteI love your blog, Laura. It is enlightening and empowering. Keep sharing!
Nancy