Coffee and Philosophy: Criticism


Today's mug is brought to us by the concept of rejection.


I have been reflecting on the concept of self criticism and how it relates to rejection and unhappiness. I spend most of my time trying to just "be," but we all stumble or struggle some times. I was thinking about what it is that makes me critical of my own actions some times, and while some of it probably comes from just being kind-hearted and wanting to see the good in everyone, I believe a lot of it comes from questioning myself. I decided to break it down further again and ask myself why do I keep questioning myself? I realized that I didn't really have any reason to keep doing it, I know who I am and what type of person I am and I just need to have faith in that. So I stopped. It turns out when you tell your ego to just shut up and stop thinking it's going to run the show, it has no choice but to listen. We are not our egos, we are our selves and maybe we just have to remind ourselves of that everyday. Be authentic and don't sweat the small stuff, it will all work out however it will work out anyway. How do you deal with self criticism? Namaste.

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How do I deal with self-criticism? I ask myself where is it coming from and how did it get there. Often self-criticism comes from the remains of comments of the outside world, whether that be friends, work family or just stuff you hear on the media. Also consider the intention of those comments. How are they delivered to you? Are they sandwiched with some good stuff or are they just out there naked? Can I learn from those comments? Or is it garbage that will eventually wear on my self-esteem? They say if you hang out in a barber shop you will eventually get a haircut. Well if you always hear negative criticism about you, it WILL affect your self-esteem and you will be self-critical in an unhealthy way to yourself. I also would not rule out spiritual forces that try to naw at your spirit and self -worth. Realize what is garbage and what is the good stuff you can learn from. Otherwise you have more and more psychological baggage to unravel and go through. And that my friend takes time. Great post. - Troy

Great response, I feel like our mindset controls so much of what we even interpret as criticism. Sometimes it seems the worst criticisms are the one's we know are true and try to hide. I make strong efforts to not hide any of my authentic emotions anymore, but at the same time patience and perspective plays a huge part. Like when trying to figure out when "enough is enough" or when to "walk away." Perhaps it's all just part of balance and wholeness.

One must be real so as you build confidence in yourself, you learn to trust your emotions and not hide them. Everyone's journey to that point is different. Some folks require more time than others and some never get there. I also have trouble knowing when to walk away. That is not easy. Many factors come into play. Love, dependence or co-dependence, how healthy or unhealthy the circumstance is, I will try to listen to my inner voice and look for signs leading me one way or another. Some call it intuition some in the religious world may call it the holy spirit. Whatever you wish to identify it, It helps as your compass. The more emotion you have invested in the situation the harder it is. Also the risk factor comes in play. How much of a risk is it to walk away? Timing of walking away can affect your feeling of rejection or abandonment. Perhaps it may be easier for you to walk away than to be walked away from. Either way it is very tough and can affect your self worth if not handled properly. counseling sometimes helps but there is no McDonnalds fix. It takes time. - Blessings - Troy.

PS: I have been out of town for the last week and away from the internet. I apologize for not responding to any of your posts during that time. I will soon. I have a few new blogs up as well since my return. Again a great subject that fascinates me. Blessings - Troy

I'll check them out on this account. I usually explore more freely on my personal account and then curate on philosophy-trail. It helps me find new people to follow on both though, which is kind of awesome in it's own way. It let's me know I'm being authentic on both. :)

positivity and self confidence can make you stand alone , namsate

"And ask myself why do I keep questioning myself" 😂 Becoming aware of our internal dialogue is a good thing, much of my life I was largely unconscious of the continuous looping streams of thought giving running commentary on every action I took or even pulling me back into times gone by or pulling me into an imaginary dream of future. Many of us are clouding life behind a continuous veil of thought and concepts... Is nice to lift the veil.

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