Today we ask you to embrace wherever it is you are on your journey.
Often, when people begin to make some progress, there is a Voice that says: “Well, it’s too late now!” or “You should have done this years ago!”
Do not listen to that Voice.
That Voice is not a fan of growth and positive change. In fact, it would prefer that you stop growing, and stagnate. So naturally when you do start engaging in practices that are good for you, that Voice will say: “Too late!” Or: “Not good enough!”
It’s goal is not that you keep going. It’s goal is to pull you back down into inaction. It is trying to fill you with a sense of futility.
Don’t listen to it. When that Voice pipes up in this way, take it as a sign that you are going in the right direction. Keep going!
The Voice of Fear takes many forms and guises, but it always says the same thing. It always says that nothing is good enough. You are not good enough, life isn’t good enough, reality isn’t good enough, nothing is good enough. And nothing will ever be good enough.
That Voice is like the Voice of an angry critic who never likes anything. Imagine a film critic or an art critic who never liked anything and always gave negative reviews. Eventually a wise person would take a look at this critic and ask: “Well, what have you ever done? Have you ever tried creating something new?” The answer is no — the critic does not create. He just tears down, and destroys.
So that is the Voice in your head. It is like a critic who always gives negative reviews. Maybe this critic isn’t very trustworthy. Even when this critic can acknowledge you are doing something worthwhile — like engaging in healthy physical, mental, or spiritual practices, for example — this critic will qualify any praise it gives with a “Too late!” or a “Not good enough!”
If it were up to the critics, no one would ever create anything. We would all sit around in paralysis, slowly decaying. There would be nothing new under the sun. Only death, and entropy. Mothers would never give birth to children — for what child can ever be good enough? Every creative spark would die, and the fires of the universe itself would go out, leaving only cold emptiness.
So: do not listen to that voice. Don’t you love watching movies and reading books and experiencing art? If it were up to the critics no film would ever be shot, no book ever written, no painting ever painted, no dance ever danced.
It is never too late to do something good for yourself. It is never too late to heal and grow. It is never too late to love and embrace life. There will always be critics — out in the world, and inside your own mind. Let them talk. That is all they do, talk. For they do not create. All creators must deal with critics. Don’t listen to them. Just keep doing. Keep creating. The world is waiting for what you will create!
Reblogged this on onbeingmindful and commented:
That inner critic voice can be SO LOUD!! But, do you’re best not to listen…it’s wrong.