Listen! 10-Minute Sanity Saver
Shame. Sometimes, it’s dubbed the “master emotion,” because it can make you feel like you’re just not good enough. Interestingly, shame is connected to guilt. Maybe you feel guilty that you haven’t called your mom in a few months. And in that case, feeling guilty probably is the right response, because it’s important to call your mother….did you hear me Kate and Perrie? 😉
But, beating yourself up and letting shame (that inner critic) take over and tell your mind that you’re not a good person because you haven’t called your mom….well, that just isn’t productive.
The solution isn’t to ignore the inner critic. Shutting it down won’t work. Because inevitably, it will rear its ugly head back up again.
One of the best interventions is a technique called self-distancing….
Remember, don’t believe everything you think. Returning your wandering mind to the present moment is a foundation of mindfulness. When you’re submerged in shame, it’s helpful to come back to the present moment to find relief. A daily meditation practice can help you develop tools that you can use when you get into a rough situation.
Thoughts are like trains… like a train, you step into a thought, such as, “I made a bad presentation today.” Then, the train leaves the station, and your thought turns into “Nobody likes me, and I’m going to get fired.” Now, you’re 15-minutes into the train ride and your thoughts are snowballing. You have two choices, you can get off the train or even better…don’t step on in the first place.
If you’re needing help stepping off the shame train, or want to prevent yourself from getting on, listen to this 10-minute Eliminate Negative Thinking audio to help you save your sanity and have a more productive day.