Are You Getting In Your Own Way?

 

For the vast majority of my life I’ve struggled with having the confidence to do things and make decisions because I tend to get stuck in my own head.  In the past I would keep too much stuff stored up in there and incessantly ruminate on things that in the end really didn’t matter or come to fruition.  There have been plenty of restless, sleepless nights too.  It was enough to drive a poor girl absolutely nuts!

 

Daily journaling has helped me so much to quell the noise that used to take up residence inside my head and I’ve been doing that religiously since I retired.  It has made a bigger difference than I ever thought possible.  I also pray and talk to God a lot, especially if I am worried or upset about something and magically things just seem to work out.  Along with prayer I practice gratitude and I make sure to thank God for all He continues to bless me with.  I am a very fortunate person and I don’t take that for granted.

 

I also touch base once every other month with my therapist.  When I first retired I had a lot going on and I’d been through some stuff.  I was doing weekly thirty minute sessions, then after about a year and a half monthly sessions and now I’m at every other month for about fifteen to twenty minutes.  Focusing on therapy like I have has made it so I am far more confident, especially with establishing and maintaining boundaries, having better interpersonal skills for dealing with difficult people and most importantly putting an end to negative thoughts and feelings about myself.  I accept myself for who I am.  I also care a whole lot less about a whole lot more.

 

When presented with options I have struggled to choose one for fear I’d make the wrong decision.  I’ve decided I no longer need to worry about that because time and experience have taught me that I can make decisions just fine and even if I do make the wrong one, eventually I will overcome it and make it right.  Right now I have a lot of options available to me for my not-too-distant future and in short order I have been able to do the research I felt I needed to do and then make the right choice for me without fear.  Now I am happily in the planning stage and executing some of those plans to start making things happen.

 

It is easy to allow fears, doubts or insecurities cloud our minds and our judgment and hold us back, but we can also do things to overcome those issues and move past them.  I am so grateful to have the tools I need, both physically and mentally, to keep me from getting in my own way and allow me to live my life with peace, love, happiness and contentment.