In today’s world, with the internet and social media being at the center of most of our daily lives, it can feel we’re small fish swimming in a sea of sharks and whales. You don’t have to look far to find people who seem to be more intelligent, more beautiful, and more successful than you are.

The Trap of Self-Judgment

When we’re so caught up in the external world, we start to judge ourselves for not being strong enough, skinny enough, healthy enough, flexible enough… and so we start to think that fundamentally, we are enough. Those thoughts can reap havoc on your self-esteem, your confidence, and leave you feeling paralyzed. Like you’re so far behind everyone else that you’ll never catch up.

Yogi Confession: Falling Into the Trap

There was a time in my life when I fantasized about being the type of woman who woke up in the morning feeling happy, energized and driven to create change in the world. The reality? I woke up each day feeling unmotivated, exhausted, and disappointed in myself.

If you were looking at me from the outside, you probably wouldn’t have known all this. I had everything going for me. I was working on my PhD in Psychology, had an amazing group of friends, and an idea of how I wanted to move forward with my career and my life. But I wasn’t happy.

Truth: I didn’t like myself.

When I looked in the mirror I saw a woman who was tired, lazy, and plain. I didn’t feel worthy of recognition or (on the relationship side) of love. It took me a long time to realize that if I wanted to become that energetic, driven, and courageous woman I dreamt about, that needed change.

Be Courageous: Look Within

Any endeavor to create a happier, more fulfilling life begin and ends from within. How you feel about yourself can either enhance or crush your spirit. If you are constantly judging and belittling yourself, be courageous. Admit that you’ve been holding yourself back and begin to make a shift. Get started with these three practices:

• Accept What Is. Your life may not be ideal right now. No matter how badly you want that to change, it won’t happen this instant. In moments when you feel frustrated, disappointed, or ashamed practice acceptance. Take a breath and say “This is my reality right now and that’s okay. I’m working to better myself.” Bonus: Allow yourself to feel grateful for being self aware and willing to learn and grow into a better future and better self.
• Build Yourself Up. Negative self talk is dangerous to the health of your spirit and your psyche. So any time you notice that you’re putting yourself down, hard stop. Replace it with something positive like “Actually, I’m amazing. I’m beautiful. I’m strong.”
• Develop a Sense of Faith. There are going to be days when your goals and dreams seem impossible to reach. In fact, that might be an every day reality for some. Just know that faith is a muscle you can develop. Work on it every day and eventually you’ll become a believer.

Transformation Starts With You

If there’s one key message I want to leave you with in this blog, it’s this:

You don’t have to look outside yourself to become the person you want to be. It all starts from within.

Just remember to be gentle with yourself. Allow yourself plenty of space and time to grow into the person you want to be. I did. And the result has been better than I ever could have imagined.

Out of the three practices mentioned above, which will you try first? Let me know in the comments section.

Love & Light,

Nadia <3