⏰ Mindset Minute

{May 16, 2023}

Picture this, you’re working on a team project and everyone has their clearly defined roles and tasks. But after a while, there was this one guy— let’s call him Jerry— who was always found standing over everyone’s shoulders, and saying things like,

“Are you sure you want to do that?”

“But, what if there’s a better way?”

“Look at that person over there. She’s doing it another way. What if that way is better?”

Jerry had become “Judgy Jerry.”

Constantly doubting, judging, and criticizing your every move.

Sometimes you’d ignore him. Sometimes you’d turn around and argue with him. But most times, you’d listen to him. Letting his subtle remarks seep into your psyche and anxiously inform your decisions.

For most of our lives, we let our own “Jerry” hang with us all day, everyday without bothering to engage in intelligent banter or ask him WHY he’s here.

Why is he so judgy? Why does he criticize our every action, or every attempt of action?

This week, I’m here to tell you that it’s time.

It’s time to sit down with Jerry, and have an open, curious conversation about his role and why he’s here.

More often than not, he’s going to tell you that he’s trying to keep you safe.

He’s going to tell you that he doesn’t want you to get hurt…

Because he loves you.

And because he loves you, he will never, NEVER go away…

Ever.

This is something you must accept.

Don’t try to fight it, cause it’s not gonna work.

Jerry is like those starfishes that grows its arm back after it gets cut off… over and over and over again.

Simply put, Jerry is our gift because we’re human, and Jerry is how the human race has survived so long.

Jerry is our fear/discernment.

Here’s how we deal with Jerry: we give him a new role on the team.

We thank him for his service, and tell him he’s been “promoted” from boss (micromanaging and telling you what to do) to project consultant (informing us of his opinions and discretions).

Moving forward, we will be making the ultimate (informed) decision, always taking his input into consideration.

This, my love, is the work.

This is how we change, this is how we grow.

Awareness/acceptance, reflection, action. Over and over and over agin.