Lies We Tell Ourselves: Our Worlds Don't HAVE to be Perfect!
A common topic in the world of psychology is the issue of people "getting in their own way."
It's something we likely have all done, at one time or another. A challenge or opportunity manifests on our path, and we manufacture a "story" for why we can't face it in the moment, or seize an opportunity that may never come our way again.
Such "cover stories" can get quite elaborate, and for those who are not paying close attention, they sound completely reasonable and rational.
But usually, they are a cover.
So what is going here?
Virtually all of us carry some kinds of burdens through our lives, in the forms of beliefs we've formed about situations and outcomes that have become so ingrained in our beings that they have come to feel like absolute truth, rather than what they really are: Excuses.
We often use excuses to mask our fears. And we use them in so many different ways. Often, we use them to mask our insecurities and fragile self-esteem.
Consider the young woman who is quite happy to date all sorts of men, but she always is "busy" when the boy she really has a crush on asks her out on a date. It doesn't make sense, to the observer... but she's so terrified that he might not like her after that first date — even though he's been trying to get close to her for years — that she avoids exposing herself to that possibility, instead dating guys who are not all that important to her.
Consider the hardworking man who's excelling at a dead-end job he really dislikes and who is a great candidate for a career change that would make him really happy. But instead of accepting any of the multiple offers for dream jobs, he instead keeps accepting "lateral promotions" within an industry he doesn't even like, always coming up with "perfectly reasonable" reasons why he "can't change right now."
One of the interesting things about the human psyche is that we are often most hesitant to reach for the things we want the most.
And so, we get in our own way. Often, we are fearful that we are not "perfect enough" for the things we truly wish for, but — paradoxically — we know we are perfectly capable of being more than perfect in situations we don't actually have much emotional investment in.
Which leaves us either consigned to a world of "medium happiness," or we can unpack the roots of why it actually is that we don't deserve to have what we truly want.
In the context of therapy, that unpacking can be quite the challenge, as people tend to put up so many barriers that getting at the truth is almost impossible!
As with many situations we face in life, simple awareness of the issue can be a huge first step on the path to changing our approach.
In many cases, we discover that we are merely "replaying" a life strategy from our childhood or youth that is no longer valid, now that we are fully grown adults without parents on hand to "tell us off."
All you have to do next is take the first small step!
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Oh man!!! I have lost count of the times I have gotten in my own way over the years and for many varying reasons!
Its crazy really - but OH SO TRUE!!!!
Sometimes it is not even the things we really "want" but also the things which we truly need. I have never been particularly good at learning things the easy way in life, lol - then again I am not sure any of us humans actually are... but my point is - in many instances throughout my life that I have gotten in my own way repeatedly and sometimes for the same thing again and again - life has this way of dealing enormous blows which literally shake your world, turn everything upside down and then through the chaos, suddenly re-order things into a manner which is closer to being in alignment with either where you need to be or where you should be heading.
Not unlike your health... when ignored for long enough or de-prioritised repeatedly... your body eventually just says "No more" and then you fall ill, which ultimately forces you to do the one thing you needed most but ignored... and that is often, REST.
As far as our lives are concerned, I think fear of failure and also judgement - or even both combined are often two of the biggest culprits and it is sad that insecurities can steer the direction of our ship to such a degree that we are often too afraid to even try.
We would all do well to take a leaf out of the books of children. Sure, there are exceptions there too - but for the most part, children are not directed by doubt or fear, but rather the complete opposites and it is wonderfully refreshing to witness.
Lovely post @whitelightxpress
xxx
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