There never was anything wrong with you – or with any of us. Unfortunately, too many of us received messages as children that there was something wrong, or at least not good enough about us. Enough of those messages, even if they come from well-meaning parents and teachers, and we get to believe them at a very core (that is emotional) level.
As adults, even though we may know intellectually that we are OK, our emotional memories kick in when we receive other people’s negative comments. The result is that our self-esteem and confidence is diminished, we may become passive or aggressive (instead of assertive ), and we retreat into old forms of defending ourselves. This is most obvious in our closest relationships, when our buttons are more likely to be pressed.
The irony is that the people who feel the least amount of self worth are the ones more inclined to put others down – so the feeling of “wrongness” feeds on itself. When you really do know, and feel that there is nothing wrong with you, you also know there is nothing wrong with anyone else.
Wouldn’t that change the world?
In Peace and Love
Warren Redman
www.EFitInstitute.com
1-866-310-3348(EFit)
Warren Redman trained in the UK as a psychotherapist, facilitator and coach and has developed his own unique style of Emotional Fitness Coaching. He is president of the Emotional Fitness Institute (formally the Centre for Inner Balancing), writing about, teaching and coaching people in Emotional Fitness. He is the author of fifteen books, including the Award-winning The 9 steps to Emotional Fitness, Achieving Personal Success and Recipes for Inner Peace.
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