Inferiority Complex
Growing up, whether it was at home or school, I consistently heard the adage: "you were given two ears and one mouth for a reason..."
Now, I can't imagine that this was due to my excessive talking, but, nevertheless, it's an aphorism that I continue to promote in my own classroom.
Like all great sayings, this one forces you to reflect, if only for a moment, and consider how it could apply to the situation at hand. For instance, when one of my students can't seem to catch my inaudible redirections, this statement helps guide that student to remember that your voice isn't the only way to communicate.
I think this is a great saying, and it has helped me to reflect on those times when I speak too often or feel that I might have the most important thing to share.
This is why my mind was blown this past Sunday when the pastor stated:
Initially, I was thinking--'Yes! Someone who gets me!'
However, upon further reflection, I found a truer way to connect to what he was saying.
How often do we lie in bed, attempting sleep, as the negative, the doubtful, and the insecure thoughts begin their marinade?
How often do we wake up to similar thoughts impeding the beginning of our day?
How often do I hesitate or second-guess, when I have all of the necessary abilities?
We need to stop listening to the voice in our head, and start talking back to it instead.
In those moments where all of those negativities--doubt, insecurity, fear, jealousy--begin to gain ground on our thoughts, we need to start truth-telling back to to that voice.
When that voice tries to start my day, I can reassure myself with facts and statements of gratitude: 'Everyone is healthy and we get to start another, beautiful day together.'
I don't believe this is an optimist vs. pessimist approach; rather, it's something that we all have inside of us and do battle with each day. It's a choice to see truth or see perception, and there is so much perception in life, that it can be difficult to find the facts.
Eleanor Roosevelt once said:
Now I know my Eleanor was a pretty homely girl and married a distant cousin, so I figure if she saw the world this way, then what am I yapping about?!
With utmost humility, I would even consider revising Eleanor's statement to:
'YOU can't make yourself feel inferior without YOUR consent.'
Here's to standing up to ourselves,
Kristy
Now, I can't imagine that this was due to my excessive talking, but, nevertheless, it's an aphorism that I continue to promote in my own classroom.
Like all great sayings, this one forces you to reflect, if only for a moment, and consider how it could apply to the situation at hand. For instance, when one of my students can't seem to catch my inaudible redirections, this statement helps guide that student to remember that your voice isn't the only way to communicate.
I think this is a great saying, and it has helped me to reflect on those times when I speak too often or feel that I might have the most important thing to share.
This is why my mind was blown this past Sunday when the pastor stated:
"Sometimes, you need to stop listening to yourself, and start talking."
However, upon further reflection, I found a truer way to connect to what he was saying.
How often do we lie in bed, attempting sleep, as the negative, the doubtful, and the insecure thoughts begin their marinade?
How often do we wake up to similar thoughts impeding the beginning of our day?
How often do I hesitate or second-guess, when I have all of the necessary abilities?
We need to stop listening to the voice in our head, and start talking back to it instead.
In those moments where all of those negativities--doubt, insecurity, fear, jealousy--begin to gain ground on our thoughts, we need to start truth-telling back to to that voice.
When that voice tries to start my day, I can reassure myself with facts and statements of gratitude: 'Everyone is healthy and we get to start another, beautiful day together.'
I don't believe this is an optimist vs. pessimist approach; rather, it's something that we all have inside of us and do battle with each day. It's a choice to see truth or see perception, and there is so much perception in life, that it can be difficult to find the facts.
Eleanor Roosevelt once said:
With utmost humility, I would even consider revising Eleanor's statement to:
'YOU can't make yourself feel inferior without YOUR consent.'
Here's to standing up to ourselves,
Kristy
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