Home→Forums→Emotional Mastery→Too Criticizing of Myself
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November 5, 2016 at 6:14 pm #119711AnonymousGuest
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November 6, 2016 at 3:56 pm #119781JanusParticipanti like your analogy of creating an inner best friend that sees the good in me. i know one thing i want in life is to spend at least three years in nature relearning who i truly am underneath all the labels that i have. two labels that fit me perfectly are scientific and spiritual and everything else doesn’t seem to fit. i want to spend time alone far from people to get a sense of my soul. i want to drop all the prejudices, negativities and the materialism of society and find myself. i don’t care what others say b/c i know my main goal in life is to find myself, to be one with who i am. i’m done with all the criticisms my parents put on me: “you’ll never make it out in life. you’re not strong enough. you’re not smart enough to go for that career. you don’t know anything about life.” well the criticisms can keep coming and i won’t care b/c i will follow my heart and listen to only the inner best friend that you mentioned. i will remake myself into the person i want to be, not what society decrees. i may be hurt on the inside, but admist the darkest skies, there is the star of my heart that keeps glowing and i will follow that star to the end of eternity no matter what. that is why i’ve been getting dreams not of me working in a lab, but secluded in a convent with other buddhist nuns meditating. i think that may be my career path to withdraw from the world and enter into a convent. i had another dream about the buddha and he held out his hand to me and said “i know you are suffering. come with me.” he took my hand and we came upon a dry river bank and i asked “why is there no water here?” i began to cry and i watched in amazement as my tears filled cleaved the banks and provided a river. then the buddha raised his hand and there were cups in the shape of stars and people came and thanked me for giving them water in the desert. the buddha took my hand and said ” you see? even your tears have a purpose in life. even at the broken parts, you can fill the hollowness of someone else.” i was quite amazed and then the buddha took me across a bridge to a monastery where there were monks, i was surprised to see the monks greet me like they had known me all along and i felt as if i was truly where i belonged. i was accepted into the monastery and began to meditate along with them and the buddha left and said “farewell child, learn your divine purpose and we will soon meet again.”
November 6, 2016 at 7:58 pm #119800AnonymousGuestDear Shirley, Earth Angel:
Your dreams are incredible, difficult to believe- makes me wonder if there really is something to such dreams, beyond just dreams. They are so detailed and consistent, the Buddha dreams and what he said to you.
Scientific and Spiritual. Maybe you will be a Buddhist nun, live for a while in a monastery, in nature. That may work very well for you.
I like your resolution regarding your parents’ criticism of you and societal decrees. I will be thinking about this post: Shirley the Buddhist nun, meditating in nature…
anita
November 7, 2016 at 2:03 pm #119878JanusParticipantso my special friend asked me to run with him out in nature after school today, we had lots of fun listening to the wind whistle through the trees. when we took a break under the shade of a tree, we looked at each other and started laughing, it was great. then we talked about school and we comforted each other about our grades. currently andrew and i have been helping each other in ap biology and andrew has a great sense of humor. i realize that andrew can be quite serious at times, but also quite fun to be around. we often work together on taking notes and doing test corrections.
November 7, 2016 at 5:12 pm #119887AnonymousGuestDear Shirley, Earth Angel:
A run on a Monday afternoon with your special friend, in nature- a delight. I had a visual of you and him laughing. Glad Andrew is into helping at this point, not competing, as well as being funny.
Exercising (running with your special friend), helping each other (you and Andrew) and laughing (with both, during the run and Andrew being funny), all these are congruent with mental health- the healthy release of stress and Win-Win interactions (instead of competition which is Win-Lose interaction).
anita
November 8, 2016 at 2:02 pm #119954JanusParticipantso i caught up in java, but i am a bad test taker for ap calc. i often blank out after doing the first few problems. i took a test today on first and 2nd derivatives along with other theorems and i don’t think i did well. i am busy with ap biology, have to do 14 more test corrections due tomorrow. i also have to outline 2 chapters for ap biology. the work never ends. andrew has a great sense of humor and he is a great problem-solver so he often helps me with ap calc or ap biology. andrew is quite an optimist, he always makes himself or others laugh and he is fun to be around. no matter how dire the situation, andrew can be relaxed and find something funny. that is one of the traits i like about him. he is also adventurous and a risk-taker and i admire that. i think i am becoming more like the easy-going person that andrew is.
November 8, 2016 at 6:58 pm #119967AnonymousGuestDear Shirley, Earth Angel:
Find a way to remain alert during a test- take a feather with you to class and have it with you when you take a test, a feather to represent and angel feather, like in your dreams and visuals. When you blank out reach for the feather and touch it. As you touch it let it awaken you, give you the focus you need to continue the test.
I thought Dave was the laid back friend last year, and Andrew was the uptight one. Now Andrew is laid back? Some good change has been taking place for Andrew…? Good thing. Very good thing. Do choose the company of laid back, patient, gentle people- that is best for you.
anita
November 9, 2016 at 3:28 pm #120018JanusParticipanti like your idea. thanks anita;) dave is still laid-back, but i don’t see him as often, i see andrew more. i’m going to do my ap biology notes this weekend and i love the colored pens i got which are easier to write with than color pencils. also adding to my relationship resume: accepting, likes to travel, someone like you anita, someone who lets me be myself. you are a great person who is understanding and compassionate even of the dark parts and by talking to you, i feel like i can release them.
November 9, 2016 at 6:24 pm #120021AnonymousGuestDear Shirley, Earth Angel:
Oh… thank you. I like reading what you wrote: “….accepting like (me)… even of the dark parts”- although I don’t know of dark parts about you, Shirley. I am not aware of such in you.
Color pencils, I used to love color pencils in school. Different color pens do make not taking much easier. Two more school days and it is next week that Thursday and Friday are off, correct?
anita
November 10, 2016 at 3:11 pm #120076JanusParticipantit’s this week that i have a four day weekend so i don’t have school thurs.-sunday. i’m currently taking a break from my ap biology notes. i think colored pencils are good for drawing pictures and they can be erased, but they need to be constantly sharpened after taking many pages of notes so i like colored pens for note-taking, colored pencils for pictures and diagrams. i think i have a temper, but it takes a lot to make me mad, but my temper could set the person i am aflame (figuratively) since i tend to play mischief in getting revenge. i am very willful and perseverant in pursuing the things i care about and i wouldn’t stop at anything or what anyone tells me to give up on my dreams. i’m technically a marshmallow disguised as a cactus, those who don’t know me well think of me as strong, aloof, cold and logical. however i am extremely loyal to the people and things i care about. also i am extremely against bullying and harassment of any kind and i often find myself actively defending those people regardless of what others say. i listen to some spiritual and some sad songs sometimes the sad songs are to make me understand how to better help those people, to be empathetic to what they feel or to make me realize that life is beautiful and we should appreciate the little things. there are people who don’t know me well who think i’m strange when they hear me listening to songs about prejudices, not belonging or depression. but i listen to them to make me more appreciative of what i have and to get myself closer to the people i want to help. also instead of pushing the inner bully away and running from it, these sad songs give me a chance to see through the inner bully’s eyes and get to know it better. when i know the inner bully better, i can predict what it will do and face it better instead of hiding or running from it. i think the world is grey, but most of my songs are black and white, the spiritual are like being in heaven and the sadness is like being in a black hole. yet, a person must acknowledge the dark parts of him or herself to release them into the light which is what i want to do. i want to learn from the dark parts in me and ask the dark parts what i have neglected in my life that has lead to them and release them.
November 10, 2016 at 9:04 pm #120097AnonymousGuestDear Shirley, Earth Angel:
So Fri-Sat-Sun off, three more days. By “dark parts” you mean hidden parts, parts not seen yet, or not fully seen, light not shining on them yet, like the inner bully who you are getting to know more/ shining the light on so that you can predict what it will do. I think I understand. Some people refer to darkness as bad or evil (and I definitely see none of that in you).
I like your perseverance in holding on to your dreams and pursuing them. And I like you caring about justice. Your temper setting you aflame (figuratively)- I can hardly imagine… and you playing mischief in getting revenge- don’t know that part of you either. Do you mean… playful revenge?
A “marshmallow disguised as a cactus”- what an expression, wow- would never occur to me, a marshmallow. I like marshmallow, so soft and squishy, and sweet. Cactus- I hear it can be a life saver in the dessert. But you are referring to the thorns, not at all soft like marshmallows.
I am so tired and will be trying to sleep soon, will be thinking of marshmallow, I think. I’ll imagine lying on a bed of soft marshmallows.
anita
November 11, 2016 at 6:00 pm #120137AnonymousGuestDear Shirley, Earth Angel:
I thought on my walk about what I wrote to you above: “Your temper setting you aflame (figuratively)- I can hardly imagine…” and so, I imagined you angry and thought I will let you know that I did and that it is not a dark part but a natural part in humans and animals.
There is that social convention that anger is something bad and something not feminine. Both are untrue! Feeling anger is neither good nor bad, it is part of being an animal and it is necessary so to be motivated to protect oneself.
So, yes, I can imagine you angry, feeling angry, looking angry.
Two more weekend days.
anita
November 12, 2016 at 1:38 pm #120202JanusParticipantabout the revenge part, i mean actual revenge if someone hurt another person, but the revenge should just and merciful. american prisons have been found to be inhumane to their prisoners and 90% of the prisoners released are sent back within a year or two. but in norway, they have counseling for prisoners to figure out what went wrong with their life, they have schools where the prisoners can learn how to become part of society again and when the prisoners are released their is a 20% chance they will go back to prison in the next year or two. darkness is not bad or evil as some may think. in fact if none of the colors were reflected back to our eyes (in other words all the colors were absorbed), we would see that object as black. the dark things often feel hot in the summer b/c they are absorbing light. so we don’t need to fear the dark, we need to think of it as “the color which absorbs all light and tries to make itself radiate warmth by absorbing that light.” in fact, in the ancient times esp. in egypt many shamans believed in wearing white to a funeral b/c they could see that a person who had crossed over had a white aura since all the color had been reflected as their soul left their body. in the old days, black used to represent the universe before it was born and light came around. about the marshmallow disguised as a cactus thing, i was thinking that everyone is like that. we are all afraid of being hurt so we try to make ourselves unapproachable by putting spines on ourselves. i even threw a picture of a marshmallow with spines for fun. we often don’t see our similarities on the inside. people are often being defensive covering themselves up with spines to protect the marshmallow within them. also anger when it doesn’t go out of control is okay. most of the time when i’m angry, i want to be alone so i don’t do something i regret. i’ll burn off steam by running, dancing, working out or writing poetry. i don’t lash out in anger at other people. i think b/c i’ve been bullied and had a hard life, i know how pain affects people so when i’m angry i don’t want to hurt anyone so i isolate myself from them. being bullied has taught me about compassion and how not to inflict pain on others and to be merciful when dealing out justice. i am not like my parents who when they are angry, they hold grudges and keep going on and on trying to make the flame go higher. when the flame within me ignites, i throw water and let the smoke of forgiveness rise. from the ashes of my troubles i rise again. i think these words could be another poem. possibly called “Soul Fire.” it will be about strength without aggression, being able to rise from the flames a better person instead of being caught up in them and being burned every time. i am a healer and i carry the sadness and fear of others which i will work on letting go. in this way, i act like an earth angel. for as long as my heart is beating, my wings keep fluttering and i fly above this world watching for anyone who needs my help.
November 12, 2016 at 5:53 pm #120215AnonymousGuestDear Shirley, Earth Angel:
I read Shirley the Scientist take on darkness, absolutely scientific. I loved the imagery of a marshmallow with spines. You wrote: “people are often being defensive covering themselves up with spines to protect the marshmallow within them.”- beautiful. Problem is when they stick their spines in another, might as well be a cactus inside as well as out- the spines hurt.
Your determination to not express your anger abusively is admirable; that you learned compassion from your experience of being bullied makes you the Earth Angel that I address in every reply to you.
You wrote: ” i am not like my parents who when they are angry, they hold grudges and keep going on and on trying to make the flame go higher. when the flame within me ignites, i throw water and let the smoke of forgiveness rise.” I thought how beautiful this imagery and articulation is and then I read you are thinking of using these words in a poem titled “Soul Fire,” a poem about strength without aggression. I am authentically impressed, deeply impressed by your thoughts and convictions. Strength without aggression, there should be a mandatory class in every high school and college by that title with a textbook by this title.
You wrote: ” i am a healer and i carry the sadness and fear of others which i will work on letting go. in this way, i act like an earth angel. for as long as my heart is beating, my wings keep fluttering and i fly above this world watching for anyone who needs my help.” My goodness, Shirley, Earth Angel- you are AMAZING!
You are amazing, strong, healer Shirley, Earth Angel!
anita
November 13, 2016 at 4:30 pm #120292JanusParticipantthanks anita, you always make me smile. there is something in this line that makes me laugh and appreciate my talents: “Shirley the Scientist takes on darkness, absolutely scientific.” It reminds me of how scientists work and analyze problems and work on better understanding the world and possibly shedding light on the things that are unknown. For me, I am working to come to terms with myself, to unveil the dark parts and bring them to the light, to analyze my problems and solve them. also most of my creativeness flows spontaneously, often when I’m on this site. This site helps me dwelve more into my inner spirit. To the inner bullies and the worldly critics, I say “As long as my mind thinks, you can take away all of who you think i am. but what you see and take away is not who i truly am. you can break everything that i have, but what’s left will be my soul with all its radiant grace. you can take away the coats of paint, but you cannot take away the freedom of myself to choose my life, my beliefs and the freedom for me to make my own path. so take what you want from me, but know that with every layer, you take away, the more you reveal my soul fire. for as long as my heart is beating, i will follow my heart and fly on my wings. you only attack the physical since you can’t see what’s on the inside, but when all the layers are peeled away, i am me and i am stronger at my soul.”
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