I’m never bothered by the negative comments of others because things I say to myself are much harsher. It’s a difficult juggling act trying to stay disciplined without proverbially smacking yourself up every so often.
As a teacher, I would celebrate the kids’ efforts more than their achievements. Maybe that would be a great thing to do for ourselves. After all, we know if we’re giving it all we can give.
There’s satisfaction in knowing you worked your ass off, you gave it all you got, and left it all in the ring, regardless of the outcome. Life’s a lot like poker: making wise decisions will definitely help you out, but sometimes, even if you do everything right, things may still not turn out in your favor (it’s always that river card, gotdammit). That’s just a reality of life—nothing is promised, and good intentions neither guarantee nor warrant positive outcomes.
Many of the injuries we suffer mentally are self-inflicted. Having negative thoughts about yourself can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. It’s difficult to have constant positive thoughts; it can even appear a bit cocky to the outside world, but the self-love and self-support are worth it. Cockiness and confidence will always have a fine line, so we’re better off accepting that some may never realize there’s a difference between the two.
It’s in our best interest to be the head cheerleader on our spirit team. The smoke and mirrors people put up to project a level of success is something we know we can’t do—we’d only be fooling ourselves. The more conversations we have within, the better equipped we are to recognize our true being.
It’s a tough enough job keeping ourselves happy, let alone others. We generally tend to be our toughest critics, but that tough love leads to beautiful outcomes. Just don’t overdo it.