#negative voice

I’ll never do great things

Never anything memorable

I won’t change the world

Or even make an impact

I’m too afraid to progress

No leaps of faith

Because I have no faith

My life will be meaningless

My scars will hold me back

But more than anything

My fears will hold me back

These thoughts will hold me back

I have done nothing and I never will

“Shut the fuck up,” I tell the voice

But it’s my voice and I have no rebuttal

I failed before I started

Because I’m too afraid to try

Afraid of the embarrassment

But there is failure is not trying

Embarrassment in not trying

So what is worse trying and failing

Or not trying at all?

In knowing I have more chances

Failing shouldn’t sound all that bad

But it does and it has

But the slow burn in not trying

The first step is to become aware of the negativity of your internal voice. 

Any mindfulness practice can help you become more aware of the negative self-talk in your head. You can try guided meditations, deep breathing exercises, or mindful walking, or simply spend time tuning into your senses. When you become conscious of the present moment, it’s easier to recognize what’s going on internally.

The second step is to listen a little more deeply.

Take some time to dig beneath the surface of your negative self-talk. Peel back the layers to find the feelings and fears so you can offer compassion to these fragile parts of yourself.

The third step is to realize that the inner negative voice really isn’t helpful and to actively disrupt it.

You can disrupt your negative voice with a mantra or even by reciting a poem, but bringing the body into the practice helps establish new patterns more quickly.

a voice of my own – a poem

for ten years, i’ve held onto the emotions that you fed me throughout our time together. you filled me with so much hate for myself that repulsion and disgust became constant bedfellows. i let go of that today, before the new year begins. i don’t need to hold to it anymore for it was never mine. though you gave it to me, i give it back to you now, casting the hate into the wind so…

Whose Voice Holds You Back? #healyourpast #womenentrepreneurs

One of my favorite books to peruse time and again is Julia Cameron’s  The Artist Way.  The first section of the book is dedicated to cleansing yourself of all the negative input you’ve received in the past regarding your creativity.  You see, if your parents or friends told you your passion (drawing, dancing, singing) was stupid or a bad idea, it’s likely that those comments were internalized.…