The Enemy Within is the side of us that constantly churns out negativity, self-doubt, and apathy. The proverbial devil on our shoulder that tries to undermine our every effort to improve and move forward. We all have a such side of ourselves but some of us hear it more than others which makes life much harder to deal with at times. It is a combination of negative experiences, self-doubt, and feeling overwhelmed by life. It is also all the negative talk we have absorbed from family, friends, lovers, and ourselves through the years.
It is something we must learn to live with but at the same time learn how to reduce its power and influence over our lives. Forgiveness for ourselves and others is part of the process of lessening its power over us. Forgiveness removes some of the guilt we have due to mistakes we’ve made and also helps us let go of and move on from mistakes by others as well. Positive self-reinforcement is another thing we need to practice, an acknowledgment that there are positive attributes about ourselves. That helps beat back the negative self-talk that undermines our self-esteem.
Do things now that you could do tomorrow, and work on being less of a procrastinator and more of a go-getter and get-it-done kind of person. Procrastination leads to things not getting done and that adds to the low self-esteem one may be feeling. Remember to acknowledge that you got things done and tell yourself you did a good job as well. Nothing gives you a boost as good as the feeling of a job well done.
The side of you that is negative is like an onion, it is layered due to the many sources it has and how long it has been forming during your lifetime. It took all these years to become so complex and layered and will take time to unravel it all and to learn how to control or overcome it. Do not get discouraged, it is a work-in-progress kind of thing, and do not fear getting help if you need it. Therapists and counselors can be a great help in coping with such things and could help you come up with strategies to help you along the way to being a better you.
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