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[dropcap2 variation=”coffee”]I[/dropcap2]n the last post, I shared why my resolutions often don’t work. Oh, with enough focus and effort resolutions can seem to be effective and I appear to succeed – for a while. Then I slip back into the old patterns again, often without even realizing it.
I fail because underneath all the resolve there are unseen shadows driving my life. These voices from the past mercilessly fire their messages into my brain like some surgically implanted microchip: “You’ll never be good enough. You’re invisible. You must prove yourself. You must justify your existence. You must perform well in order to be loved. If anything goes wrong, it’s your fault.”
I know these are lies, but in times of great stress, I tend to revert to the familiar – and in this case, that’s not good.
These shadows are with me everywhere I go. How can I battle them, and ever hope to win?
- I must identify my shadows and their messages.
- The more aware I am of these messages, the more aware I’ll be when they’re operating.
- The more I see my shadows, the less able they’ll be to drive my mind, my heart, and my behavior.
- I may not be able to completely shake them off, but I don’t have to give them my heart either.
I don’t have to get this perfect. I just want to make progress. I want to learn and grow.
Got shadows? We all do. Just remember: your shadows are not you. Be aware of them, but don’t let them rule your heart.
Question: How do you battle your shadows? What seems to work for you?
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