Letting go

[syllie]

I have a problem letting go. This problem is mostly related to my career, as I really just want to do well & please my boss. I know everyone makes mistakes, & I know I can't be perfect, but it's almost as if I have another part of me that is constantly fighting that logic. If I make a little mistake, or realize that I could have done something differently to save time, I will harp on it to the extent that I am unable to fall asleep. I am my own enemy.

How do I make peace with myself as a whole? Is meditation something that can help my mind let go of negative thoughts? I try to counter them with positivity, I try to visualize, & yet I am still clouded. I want to be balanced.

[BrettAshlee]

It is called the Inner Critic. Those are the voices of our parents, our teachers, society still trying to tell us what the rules are... we must be perfect, we must not waver from the tried and true path, etc. They are different for everyone.

Meditation is a great tool for letting go. EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) is also an effective tool, and very easy to learn.

Brett

[help4me]

Originally Posted by syllie

I have a problem letting go. This problem is mostly related to my career, as I really just want to do well & please my boss. I know everyone makes mistakes, & I know I can't be perfect, but it's almost as if I have another part of me that is constantly fighting that logic. If I make a little mistake, or realize that I could have done something differently to save time, I will harp on it to the extent that I am unable to fall asleep. I am my own enemy.

How do I make peace with myself as a whole? Is meditation something that can help my mind let go of negative thoughts? I try to counter them with positivity, I try to visualize, & yet I am still clouded. I want to be balanced.

You echo my own thoughts from days gone by. I used to nag myself about mistakes. I still have a hard time accepting a compliment for something done well because I can still see where I could have done better.

For me... all this stems from a low opinion of myself. Constantly trying to prove I am worthwhile.

Try to put your mistakes in perspective. Will the earth stop spinning if you make a mistake? Probably not. Will you be hanged if you make a mitake? Chances are that you won't be.

Most mistakes are fixable, mistakes help each of us to learn and grow. Did you know that the invention of the eraser (like the eraser on the end of a pencil) was actually made by mistake? Same with the first pictures... tintypes. Those too originated by mistake. So mistakes aren't "bad." Mistakes lead to discovery, even if those mistakes lead to personal set backs.

Mistakes aren't failure. Mistakes are just a bridge that gives you access to another path.

[awakentransform]

I used to have the same issue. These books are helpful:

Embracing Your Inner Critic: Turning Self-Criticism into a Creative Asset by Hal Stone and Sidra Stone

The Dark Side of the Light Chasers by Debbie Ford

Love Is Letting Go of Fear by Gerald G. Jampolsky

[DayInTheLife]

Originally Posted by syllie

How do I make peace with myself as a whole? Is meditation something that can help my mind let go of negative thoughts?

Absolutely. There is no better way to improve the balance and self-control in one's life, IMHO.