One of the biggest ways we hold ourselves back is by being far more demanding than we would with anyone else. We support, nurture and encourage our loved ones to be successful and happy, then turn around and belittle and scold ourselves for not doing or being “enough.” We obsess about our physical flaws, dismiss our achievements and force ourselves to measure up to some imaginary standard we’ve set in our own minds.
Is it any wonder we feel awful much of the time?
If this describes you as well, you are all too familiar with the sinking sense of defeat such habits cause. Maybe you’ve even given up on improving your life because you just “can’t seem to get it right.” Maybe you have set goals and failed to achieve them in the past, or you avoid goal-setting activities altogether because you know you’ll never succeed anyway.
It’s time to ask yourself: Are you expecting too much? Are you pushing yourself beyond your limits, expecting perfection, and berating yourself viciously when you slip up?
No one can work effectively under that type of pressure!
You would never treat your friends and loved ones like that, so why do it to yourself?
Today, take a few minutes to acknowledge that you are a work in progress. Not only are you not perfect now, you never will be. No one is!
If you are in the habit of comparing yourself to others or forcing yourself to measure up to some impossible standard, it is time to let go of your unrealistic expectations and embrace a gentler attitude of patience and self-love. Become your own best friend by nurturing, loving and caring for yourself.
Push yourself hard enough to feel challenged and exhilarated, but not so hard that you feel pressured and abused.
Let go of impossible standards and instead allow yourself to be exactly who you were meant to be: beautiful, imperfect, blissfully unique YOU.