Introducing........the Gremlin!

Let me introduce you to.....the Gremlin.  No, he's not a furry creature from a science fiction movie or a character from a video game.  Actually, you know him quite well already because he lives with you every day.  He is the voice in your head who tells you destructive, life-denying untruths about yourself.  He is your inner critic.  Have you ever heard the voice in your head saying any of the following?

"You'll never make it."
"You're not smart enough."
"You've made such a mess of your life you'll never be able to change it."
"You're too fat and you'll never lose weight."
"You'll never be well."
"Nobody really cares about you."
"You'll make a fool of yourself."
"It's too late for you."
"You're too old to try something new."
"If people knew who you really were, they wouldn't like you."
"That's just who you are."
"You're all alone in this world."
"What makes you think you can do that?"
"You can't do that."
"Why bother?"
"It's going to be way too hard."
"You don't have what it takes."
"You'll look stupid."
"Other people are just smarter, funnier, thinner, and better looking that you are."

You certainly get the idea, and we can all relate to at least one or two of the lies above.  In his book, Taming the Gremlin, Rick Carson calls the Gremlin, "...a vile, vicious, villainous, insufferable bully lurking in the shadows of your very own mind."

Where does the Gremlin come from?  He comes from the past and his voice comes from things you heard or learned from teachers, parents, friends, spouses, co-workers, authority figures, and from comparing yourself to other people.

The Gremlin is sneaky so you might not recognize him right away, but I can give you some clues.  When you see yourself feeling or behaving in the following ways the Gremlin may be at work:  procrastinating, stalling, blaming, being defensive, feeling fearful or anxious, feeling apathetic, flip-flopping on goals, feeling a lack of motivation, and more.

So how can you get rid of the Gremlin?  By shining a light on him, by becoming aware of his endless chattering in your mind, and by understanding that the negative voice is not really you.....and it's not true.....unless you believe it.