Odille Rault's Blog - Posts Tagged "self-criticism"
If You Can’t Stop Being Hard On Yourself...
"Imagine a horse that has been ill-treated. And the person who has just bought it wants it to pull a cart. So he hitches the half-starved, beaten and bleeding animal to the cart, and when the horse can’t even move because it is so damaged, the new owner shouts at it, and beats it some more.... is that horse EVER likely to be able to pull that cart?
"Now, if the new owner takes that horse to a vet, and then nurses it back to health with love, nourishment, compassion and caring. If he speaks to the horse with gentle and encouraging words, if he tells the horse it’s going to be okay, it’s going to get better; If he shows the horse he loves it; If he lets it rest in a comfortable stable where it’s warm and safe; And if he allows it, as it gets better, to graze in the sunshine, and on the days it feels worse, if he gives it extra caring and love.... that horse will heal and get stronger, and it will then be ABLE and Willing to pull that cart!
"You are that horse. The previous owners who ill-treated you are those who raised you. The NEW owner is YOU! It’s up to YOU now to put down the whip, unhitch yourself from that cart, and give yourself some nursing back to health with Love and Compassion and Caring - or, just like the horse, you won’t be ABLE to heal. You can’t heal while you’re continuing to beat yourself emotionally, where your previous “carers” left off.
One of the first steps you can take in putting down the whip and unhitching yourself from the cart, and starting to help yourself heal, is to start doing things you love. Even if you start with just one. And at first it may feel odd. Even the horse would find it odd to be suddenly treated with kindness instead of being shouted at and beaten. He may well even react with suspicion. But with coaxing and reassurance from his new owner, he will slowly begin to accept and respond to the new experience of kindness.
Many of us find it difficult at first, to focus on doing what feels good, and it can be a challenge to show ourselves compassion and kindness. Do something Delicious for yourself today! :)"
- Excerpted from BEYOND THE MAGIC PILL
"Now, if the new owner takes that horse to a vet, and then nurses it back to health with love, nourishment, compassion and caring. If he speaks to the horse with gentle and encouraging words, if he tells the horse it’s going to be okay, it’s going to get better; If he shows the horse he loves it; If he lets it rest in a comfortable stable where it’s warm and safe; And if he allows it, as it gets better, to graze in the sunshine, and on the days it feels worse, if he gives it extra caring and love.... that horse will heal and get stronger, and it will then be ABLE and Willing to pull that cart!
"You are that horse. The previous owners who ill-treated you are those who raised you. The NEW owner is YOU! It’s up to YOU now to put down the whip, unhitch yourself from that cart, and give yourself some nursing back to health with Love and Compassion and Caring - or, just like the horse, you won’t be ABLE to heal. You can’t heal while you’re continuing to beat yourself emotionally, where your previous “carers” left off.
One of the first steps you can take in putting down the whip and unhitching yourself from the cart, and starting to help yourself heal, is to start doing things you love. Even if you start with just one. And at first it may feel odd. Even the horse would find it odd to be suddenly treated with kindness instead of being shouted at and beaten. He may well even react with suspicion. But with coaxing and reassurance from his new owner, he will slowly begin to accept and respond to the new experience of kindness.
Many of us find it difficult at first, to focus on doing what feels good, and it can be a challenge to show ourselves compassion and kindness. Do something Delicious for yourself today! :)"
- Excerpted from BEYOND THE MAGIC PILL
