If you have a few minutes, this post about 7 destructive thought habits that can hold you back from living a happier life has some really great points, especially number 7. That website has lots of other great self improvement posts as well.
Want some encouragement to tell off your negative inner voice? Click over here to read a post from one of my favorite bloggers, Lisa-Jo Baker. She's incredibly raw and honest in her writing that it can't help but move you in some way.
I'm almost 33 and I USED to be good at several things. Really good. I was fit, happy and talented when I was in high school and college (although I don’t think I really realized it then). But after more than 10 years have "slipped by", my biggest mental hurdle is coming to grips with the fact that I'm simply not that good at those things any more, and that things will never go back to the way they were. I'll never be as flexible, have as much endurance, or possess the time I once had to commit to those activities. It's disheartening to think, in a way, my best years are over, although most aspects of my life, I am so much more successful now (career, finances, maturity, family/friendships). I need to work on honing a mindset not based on how I "was", but how I “am” and can grow as a person. I should do things simply because I enjoy them. I shouldn’t be embarrassed to participate because I feel I’m “competing” with my younger self. A function of growing is losing some things, but gaining self-awareness and a better perspective.
ReplyDeleteJen, I think you nailed it when you said you felt like you were "competing with your younger self". I think a lot of people feel that way. I sure do. I would say this especially holds true for women who have had kids, most of whom feel like their bodies should just be able to bounce back to "normal"/pre-pregnancy state. It's super important to embrace the current "you" and not waste time wishing you were the same as you were before because 1) it's not going to happen and 2) you'll find that where you are in your life right now is nothing to be ashamed or disheartened about. And I'm going to have to strongly disagree that your "best years are over".
DeleteAlso, I'm not so sure about the maturity comment ;)