Our Inner Critic

Have you noticed yourself talk lately?  It is well known that we talk to ourselves 100% of our waking hours… what are you saying?

Particularly as it pertains to our health goals, what we say to ourselves can make a huge difference in our ability to make progress toward our vision.  Ironically, self-judgments have a positive intention. By criticizing ourselves, we hope to eliminate our flaws and win the approval of others, thus feeling more worthy. Often, though, these self-judgments are self-defeating, convincing ourselves we are not worthy of success or are unable to accomplish our goals.

What if, instead of focusing on this negativity, we acknowledge that “I am responsible for creating my life as I want it.”  Far from a pressure to be “perfect”, this statement allows us see that we are the predominant creative force in our lives and moves us from reacting to external circumstances to instead creating directly the life that we want for ourselves.

We won’t master this immediately; it requires practice.  That is ok!!  We will make mistakes – it is how we learn.  We will learn hard consequences – again, there is no better teacher!  The tragedy is when we get stuck in the negativity and difficulty….instead of knowing and believing that we can move forward with new choices, new awareness.

So today, what if we notice what we say to ourselves and resolve to make it positive?  Realize there is support for you and ask for it when you need it.  Know that others before you have gotten where they want to be, often through great difficulties and challenges.  Know that you are worth it. You really are.

As a Certified Health Coach for Take Shape for Life, Sharon has had hundreds of clients – every one of whom has either reduced or eliminated medications for blood pressure, cholesterol, or Type II diabetes!  Through their long term success in weight reduction, clients experience a transformation that reaches into all areas of life. Drawing from an extensive background of health promotion and nutrition, she brings practical insight into the emotional reasons for eating and empowers her clients in a new path toward Optimal Health.

With a life-long interest in health, Sharon Goodmonson received her Master’s degree in Public Health from OregonStateUniversity.  She has spent the last 23 years working with individuals to reduce their risk of chronic disease through lifestyle management, including food-related issues, exercise, and thought patterns.  She is a Certified Health Coach for Take Shape for Life, a clinically proven Optimal Health program, and enjoys living her mission statement of “helping others to create the reality of all they want to be.”