Today, while in my favorite thinking place (the shower), I was getting more and more stressed out. Thoughts raced through my head, “There’s not enough time. I don’t do enough marketing. I don’t have enough events…”
Understand that the “not enough” theme is the most damaging old tape that runs through my head. In good times, I’m conscious of it and can manage it, but in times of stress, it induces panic.
But today something great happened. My crazy self-talk was halted by an unexpected voice of reason.
It said, “Wait a minute. Not enough? Ok… in other words, I’d like more. So how do I get more? Be grateful for what I have, be open to receive more, and get to work on the things that are in alignment with these thoughts.”
A much nicer way to express “not enough”, don’t you think?
I’d be curious to hear about your “old tapes”, and how you can leverage them to work for you, rather than having them hold you back!
Perfect! Great thoughts and very inspiring. Thanks Mary!
Hi Mary, love the emails you send me!! And so, here I am again, replying.
I think the worst thing we do to ourselves, is lie unknowingly. I discovered that I was guilty of this, back about 15 years ago, and remedied myself from it. Mind you, it took about 3 weeks of some serious mental changes, but I am now free from ALL anxieties. I just wish the close people in my life, especially my wife could find this also. I am a free soul!!
Thanks, Steve. It’s hard to watch the people we love “get it” on a different timeline, isn’t it? I subscribe to the idea that we must “be the change we want to see in the world”. The more I focus on improving what I’d like to see more of in the world, the less I get bogged down in what other people are doing.
I can relate to the “old tapes”. I call them lies and when I catch my thoughts lying to me again, I change the lie to the truth and say it out loud to disarm the damaging thoughts from having any more power over me to discourage! So the lie “not enough” becomes the “truth” “My God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus!” In other words, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me to lie down (rest) in green (abundant) pastures and leads me besides still waters. He restores my soul. (peace)”. Ahhhh.,,,that’s better.
Yes, those old tapes called self doubt, you must do more, you’re not good enough, etc. It’s too easy to be distracted by every bright shiny object that crosses our path. We need to actively decide when enough is enough and learn to shut out the noise. Some days I do a better job of that than others. It’s a work in progress.