Want some truth? Who we are TODAY started back when we were just kids. Our childhood is the literal playground where all of our stories about life and possibility are created. Interestingly enough, over time we either consciously choose to rewrite them if they don’t work for us or unconsciously play out those patterns well into adulthood. Sorting through the narratives that were created in your childhood in our present day is called, “Inner Child Work.” All this month at Mindrise, we are working to silence our inner critic, today we will step our feet in the waters of revisiting our inner child with Mindrise Coach, Cayla Brewton…enjoy!!
Getting to the Root of Your Inner Critic
by Mindrise Coach, Cayla Brewton
Let’s walk through a little bit of visualization…
Picture yourself between the ages of 7 to 10.
What were you doing?
Maybe you were with your siblings, maybe you’re at school, maybe it’s christmas morning, playing outside….whatever you’re doing, think of something that made you happy.
Now in this moment, think like that version of yourself.
When you were between the ages 7 and 10, if someone asked you what you wanted to be when you get older, think about how you would answer them…
Maybe you wanted to be a doctor, perhaps a firefighter, maybe you wanted to be a teacher, or an actor, maybe an astronaut.
And maybe they told you you could do it! Or maybe they said it was impossible.
Now, tune back into the present version of you: If asked, what would you tell someone today about what you want to be?
Is this the same thing you would have said as a 7 year old?
If it is great, keep chasing that dream, but if it’s not, which for most, it’s probably not.
What changed?
What caused you to believe differently?
Let’s dive a little deeper.
You have a choice, just as you did in 2nd or 3rd grade. Both involve how you act in response to the idea of “fear.”
You can…
Face Everything And Rise
Or
Fear Everything And Run
Let me challenge you a bit, because some of you may label yourself as “fearless”, but how come you haven’t done all you can to hit your goals yet?
What’s stopping you?
Is it the lack of support you have in your corner?
Is it fear?
Is it your inner dialogue?
In defining this thing called fear, Google says, ‘fear is an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous,likely to cause pain or a threat.’
I think a more effective definition of fear is that it is a mindkiller–unintentional storytelling that restricts one from their fullest potential.
And this is where we get stuck in a vicious cycle. Just for today, I invite you to consider the following thought,
We are the authors of these fears just as much as we are the readers of them. You have the ultimate decision. And as the author of our fears they actually are very similar to written stories, just like a story, our fears cause us to ask “ What will happen next?”
As humans, we are the only species to think about the future and this is where fear flourishes.
To answer that “what will happen next” question, we have to look at what’s brought us to operate by dictation of our fear.
How would you live your life if you knew the outcome of every situation?
Knowing that you were going to get that job or internship you applied for;that you were going to break a new personal best in the gym, or just reap the benefits of success in whatever you take on.
The only thing in the way of these milestones is fear.
Ask yourself, how would you live your life differently if you knew you could not fail?
Well the only way to know is to try, to take imperfect action and be open to the lesson that exists when we act in direct opposition of our fears.
All of this theoretical talk may have opened your mind and got the wheels turn but I again, I recognize we’re human and sometimes need a direct “How-To” in order to feel confident if were actually going to do something about it.
Let’s keep it simple:
Step 1– Understand exactly what you’re afraid of.
Step 2– Turn your “I Can’ts “ into “ I Cans” and your “I won’ts” into “I Will”
Step 3– Take actions in opposition of your fear,
If you are scared to speak your mind, do just that.
If you are scared to quit your 9-5, but know you’re burnt out… well, it’s time to give notice.
If you are scared to leave a relationship, get support and choose you!
Whether you’re afraid or not you have the decision to act, because fear is just the voice of our ego trying to keep us in a state of homeostasis rather than fully living this human experience.
Now, tune back into that worry free, happy, and young minded version of you–What would they tell you about the dreams and goals you have now?