I’m Tired of Listening to that Hater in My Head

That inner critic, the one who tells you how and why you can’t ever do what you dream of doing…how do you stop listening?

I had to realize that voice is not me; it is a primitive part of my brain that just analyzes risk and tries to keep me safe. But, do I need to be kept safe from my ambitions and my dreams? My brain seems to think so — it wants to keep me from disappointments and emotional pain.

When I dream big, that inner “hater” starts rambling on and it has kept me standing still, as a means of keeping me from feeling emotional pain. Continuing down that path has also kept me from joy, fun and accomplishment.

There is a cost to avoiding pain; it’s losing out on happiness.

Now after therapy, reading books and doing some self-help, I can acknowledge that what is holding me back is me. I am learning ways to tell that “hater” there is no need for me to be afraid. This isn’t prehistoric time and there are no lions chasing me. This is me going after my dreams. The worst thing that happens is I fail, I learn, I try again and the end result of that is being an active participant in my life.

I want to be an active participant in the journey of my life, not hide from it. So, when I get to the end, I hopefully won’t have many regrets. Because time is the one thing we can’t change — once it’s gone, it’s gone. So, I implore those who have a dream or a passion to not let fear stand in your way and I will work on not letting fear stand in my way.