WOOHOO Wednesday!

The first thing I think about when I see “CELEBRATE” is the disco song – yes, I was a disco queen!  I begin to sing it in my head and immediately begin to smile.

I have been working with an AMAZING Fierce Cheerleading (no, not the sport) Coach, Eryka Peskin for the last few months and it has helped me change my perspective on so many things.  I want to share some of her wise words of wisdom.  How it changed my thinking from the “Negative Nelly” to “I am AWESOME”.

I met Eryka through some mutual friends and I have participated in TWO of her virtual Celebration Challenges.  Each time, I discover new things about myself while speaking abundance into my world.  It is all about changing our mind set…..

When we engage in the act of celebrating something, we allow ourselves to acknowledge its importance and the goodness it brings to our lives. We mark the significance of whatever it is we’re celebrating by recognizing and acknowledging it.

When we celebrate something, we honor whatever it is we’re celebrating…and that means we honor ourselves, too!

And that’s why consistently celebrating helps us cultivate a certain mindset, a certain way of being. Because it’s one way for us to create a lifestyle where we are consistently honoring ourselves and taking note of the amazing things that happen in our lives All. The. Time.

I have learned to celebrate every day, being grateful for just waking up and speaking abundance into the universe.  Did you sleep in a bed?  CELEBRATE!  Do you have running water?  CELEBRATE!  Do you have clothes and food?  CELEBRATE

Seems a little too basic right?  The truth is that by celebrating the basics around us we begin to appreciate the every day things in our lives.  We start the day out thinking positively and seeking abundance.  Okay, I can hear the grumbles already and that proverbial “BUT” that comes after everything we say we are grateful for.

I totally get that things can be rough – some may still be digging out of the 20+ inches of snow on the East Coast.  Some have have health issues, a rotten job, lots of debt, a bad relationship – we all have challenges.  But have you noticed that when you focus on the negative side of things, more negative things happen?

Have you ever noticed that when you focus on the positive aspect of things, you get more done?

One of the first things that I learned to celebrate was the basics in my life.  I celebrate those things in my life that I often take for granted:

• I celebrate having a warm home, with a roof over my head where I can take refuge.
• I celebrate that I woke up rested and ready to conquer the day
• I celebrate that I had a great cup of coffee that warmed my insides before heading out into the cold.

It’s easy.  Why don’t you try it?  I actually continue this “celebration” as the day goes on when Negative Nellie stops by by taking 5 minutes to do a gratitude break.  It clears my head and gets me back on the right track.

What is YOUR favorite positive mantra? OR share your celebrations with us?

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

 

SQUASH that Inner Critic

WOOHOO!  It is FRIDAY!  Who is ready for the weekend?  I know that I am!

We have all known people who are really critical, right?  The person who loves to point out when you gained a few pounds.  The person who points out your flaws and reminds us when we are not doing as well as others.  I don’t know about you but these are people that I tend to shy away from, so why do I let myself do that same thing.  It is the background “noise” that chips away at our confidence that leads to fear and doubt.

I have been blessed a part of a Celebration Circle with a Fierce Cheerleader, Eryka Peskin.  And now the author of an e-book called “50+ Ways to Jumpstart Your Abundance“.  The greatest gift she has given me is the ability to STOMP on my Inner Critic.  Here are some tips to CRUSH that inner critic:

1. Listen to your negative thoughts

I know, crazy right?  But the only way to silence that inner critic is to listen.  Better yet, CELEBRATE (or acknowledge) it knowing that you are worthy of so much more.  You can’t CRUSH the negative thoughts unless you acknowledge them.  Those negative thoughts usually stem from insecurities that have no basis in your life.  They are often even silly.  If you wouldn’t say it to a friend, why say it to yourself?

2. Get productive

Some negative thoughts are unwarranted and overly judgmental while others lean toward real issues that need to be addressed.  If it is a part of your life that needs improving – do something about it.  Don’t feed the fire of negative talk – take steps (even baby ones) to make the change.  Set goals and track your progress. Gradually improving yourself will replace negative thoughts with positive ones and ultimately CRUSH your inner critic.

3. Re-think how you see other people

Negative thoughts bring more negative thoughts and they can be toxic to your soul.  Ask yourself, am I critical and judgmental of others?  Be honest, we’ve all been there! If you are critical of others, you will be critical of yourself. Feeding into negativity will only come around to bite you in the butt.

4. Ask yourself this question

Are you not sure if you’re being too critical of yourself? I love this suggestion by Life coach Tony Teegarden.  Ask yourself this one question:  Would you say this to your five year old self? Would you tell your five-year-old self that they’re not smart enough, that they’re overweight or untalented? Of course not! You’d tell them to believe in themselves and that they can do anything they set their mind to. So, if you wouldn’t dare be so negative to your younger self, why do it now?

5. Remind yourself of how awesome you are

This is the fun part of our Celebration Circle.  I love that Eryka has us put a positive spin on everything in our lives that we may have once thought as negative. The truth is that sometimes the only way to silence your inner critic is to drown it out with positive statements.  Try giving yourself a little pep talk when you’re really getting critical.   I keep a list of my strengths handy so when the negative inner critic rears his head, I can read the list and remind myself what a strong, confident and capable woman I am.  It’s not about bragging, it’s about being honest with yourself about what you do well.

How do you silence your inner critic? Hope you have a ThirtyOne-derful day!