Is Self-Judgement Blocking Your Empowerment

February 9, 2021

Is Self-Judgement Blocking Your Empowerment

I have had a love for lifting weights for over 30 years (33 to be exact!). I have gone through times of commitment and focus on sculpting my body, increasing my strength, and challenging myself to actually compete in Figure Competitions.

In the past 30 years I have also turned my back on this passion and hobby of mine. It’s tough to admit but I actually walked away from lifting any kind of weight for four years. How could I walk away from something I said I loved? Something I got so much enjoyment out of? Something that made me feel strong and empowered?

It all unfolded because I got into a fixed mindset and began to judge myself. I didn’t see it at the time but I was so hard on myself. I told myself I was an inconsistent person, I was too lazy, and that all of this was too hard for me. The criticisms and judgments just rolled off my tongue and the more they did, the deeper the hole I created for myself.

I eventually broke the cycle when I hit rock bottom. How I felt and looked hit an all-time low for me. When this happened, I vowed I was never going to do this to myself again. So, I saw that I needed to show love toward myself and admitted that my workouts were a way for me to take care of my body. I switched my mindset to asking “what can I do today based on how I feel, based on my time available, etc.” vs. focusing on all the things I wasn’t doing or couldn’t do.

The big lesson I learned, is that when I talk to myself with a critical, judgmental eye, I only push myself further away from the very thing I most desire. Once I realized this, I was able to see how this affected not only my workouts, but other areas of my life too.

So how about you? Is there something in your life that you’re not doing, avoiding, or complaining about? If so, might there be some element of self-judgment that’s going on? What might it look like and sound like to change this inner dialog to one of self-love? To focus on what you can do vs. what you can’t do? How might this increase the level of empowerment in your life?

My challenge to you today is to pause and take a look at the amount of self-judgment going on vs. the amount of empowerment you’re engaging in your life. Let’s ditch the self-judgment and up the empowerment! I know I am. How about you?

How to Have JOY in the Journey

Joy blooms where minds and hearts are open. – Jonathan Lockwood Huie We feel and experience joy in many ways – viewing the sunset, watching a child at play, receiving unconditional love from a pet, or achieving a goal. However, another type of joy is the deep heartfelt joy of “I am so grateful for this life of mine.” This kind of joy emanates from the inside out and is present regardless of what is happening around us. I believe our conditioning tells us a limiting story that says joy only “happens when” something else

Read It >

What it REALLY takes to change

How often do we SAY we want to change something about our lives – whether it be something about ourselves, our jobs, homes, health, finances or relationships. Change is a constant in life, and it can be a pain in our sides and our greatest gift – often at the same time! I vividly remember writing in my journals over the years, listing and re-listing all the things I wanted to change in my life: my weight, my fitness level, my communication skills, my relationship with my husband, and especially things about myself like confidence

Read It >