Stinking Thinking: Lies Your Inner Critic Tells (And How to Shut It Down)
Last Tuesday, I stood in front of my bathroom mirror and called myself ‘not good enough’. Out loud. The words just slipped out as I was getting ready for my day, and suddenly I froze – shocked by the casual cruelty of my own self-talk. When did I become so comfortable with speaking to myself this way? More importantly, why was I still believing these outdated stories about who I am and what I'm capable of?
Let's talk about something real today: those toxic thoughts that play on repeat in our minds. Not the glossy "just think positive" advice that floats around social media, but the deep, uncomfortable truth about the lies we tell ourselves and how they're holding us back.
You know those thoughts that sneak in during quiet moments? The ones that whisper "you can't handle this," "who are you to try this," or "you're not ready yet"? Yeah, those ones. The mental mosquitoes that buzz around our dreams until we swat them away or, worse, start believing them.
The Comfort of Lies
Here's the thing about limiting beliefs – they're comfortable. Familiar. Like that old sweater with holes that we should have thrown out years ago but keep wearing anyway. These beliefs feel like they're protecting us, but really, they're just keeping us small.
I used to think I was being "realistic" when I talked myself out of opportunities. Turns out, I was just really good at creating elaborate excuses to stay in my comfort zone. Real talk: there's nothing realistic about underestimating yourself.
Breaking the Spell
The shift started when I began treating these thoughts like spam calls – just because they're persistent doesn't mean I have to answer. Every time that inner critic pipes up with "you're not qualified," I now ask, "Says who?" The silence that follows is usually pretty telling.
This isn't about plastering fake positivity over real doubts. It's about questioning the stories we've accepted as truth. Who wrote these rules we're living by? And more importantly, who says we can't rewrite them?
The Permission Slip You Didn't Know You Needed
Here's your official notice: You don't need anyone's permission to outgrow old beliefs about yourself. You don't need a certain age, degree, or level of experience to start claiming what you want. The only green light you need is your own.
The Ripple Effect
When we start challenging these limiting beliefs, something interesting happens. Our courage becomes contagious. Every time we push back against our own mental limitations, we create a crack in the ceiling for others to break through too.
If these no-BS reflections on mindset work resonate with you, you'll find your people in our Sip & Savor newsletter community. Each week, we cut through the fluff and get real about creating a life that reflects who we truly are, not who we think we should be.
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