Which GREMLIN lives in YOUR head???
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by Mary Bigler Quote
"If
you hear a voice within you saying you are not a painter;
then by all means, paint and that voice will be silenced."
--Vincent
Van Gogh
Probably
also like you and me, she has this nagging little (or BIG) Gremlin
that has been a bit more boisterous of late, trying to convince
her she is not worthy.
I
don't know all the details as our encounter was brief, but she
had been a professional musician for over 25 years when circumstances
resulted in her being fired.
Didn't
matter that hundreds of people truly loved her music and unique
style.
Didn't
matter that she held her unique position for TWENTY-FIVE years
in a very competitive profession.
Didn't
matter that she made a huge, positive impact on the lives of
inspiring young musicians she mentored over the years.
Didn't
matter that she was living her passion as a musician for decades
and loving it.
All
she visioned since this firing was failure, self-doubt, fear,
blame.
We
all know that what we focus upon expands, so what did she
keep getting more of without realizing it?
You
guessed it; more fear, doubt, blame and uncertainty about her
future.
IMAGINE
how it would BE to tame that inner critic and use it to her
(your) advantage rather than allowing it to paralyze her with
feelings of indecision and vulnerability.
How
to tame the inner shrew?
*
Give it a name, a face, a personality.
You
might make it a ridiculous, comical character or imagine
yourself in the role of a favorite 'superhero', saving
yourself and the world from the Gremlin take-over! Much less
threatening, isn't it?
*
Embrace your gremlin as merely a vehicle whose purpose is to
capture your attention, reminding you that you've temporarily
derailed from your higher path.
*
Acknowledge its presence and ACCEPT it as a normal and natural
part of the human experience, knowing it will always be lurking
somewhere in the corners of your mind, waiting to give you unsolicited
'advice'. Merely an opinion (not a very good one at that) and
nothing more.
*
Become the detached OBSERVER of your gremlin's ego rantings,
as if you were watching a movie, not playing a role.
Take
some time to just notice when it surfaces, which beliefs, thoughts
and attitudes you tend to replay over and over.
*
Identify your top THREE limiting beliefs, thoughts, inner-directed
(self-denegrating) or outer-directed (blaming)chatter.
For
example:
"This
is so unfair. I didn't deserve that."
"I
can't get past this. People must be thinking I did something
horrible."
"I
can't play anymore. Nobody wants to hire me."
"My
playing must really stink for me to be fired."
*
This is a terrific time to engage the Gremlin as a teaching
tool and to pose some questions to counter its chatter.
-What's
going on here? What is the underlying thought or belief
I am clinging to?
Where
did it come from? Is is true? Serving me in a positive manner?
-How
do I feel? How do I want to feel instead? How can I incorporate
more of my preferred feeling into my day?
-What
are my options here? What do I need right now? What is the best
use of my time, energy or resources to create at least some
relief? Who can I connect with for support?
*
Finally, FORGIVE yourself for not being perfect. Forgive others
for their transgressions and move forward in any small way.
Look
for some humor in the situation or in your day.
Look
for things to appreciate about yourself and others.
Notice
what goes well for you each day.
Smile
often. Help someone else today.
The
more you practice ignoring or countering this Gremlin, the smaller
and weaker its voice becomes. Your higher wisdom and your knowing
that all is in perfect order will become the voice you'll tune
into.
Gremlin?
What Gremlin? Do you hear a Gemlin?
Not
today!
Mary Bigler is a Life Coach specializing in the universal principles of Attraction. She is an experienced workshop and teleclass leader for those journeying along a path of self-discovery and personal expansion. Mary loves to see people tap into their ability to live life fully engaged, vibrant and full of all they dream about Being/Doing/Having. She most enjoys helping people become deliberate creators of their life experiences. |