You are not perfect and no one expects you to be. However, knowing this truth means you should always be open to learning new things or how to do things differently.
You are not perfect. It may seem like you are expected to be. The simple truth is that no one is, therefore no one can expect this of you. However, you may have had the unfortunate experience of being scolded or harassed for making mistakes or even trying new things. You may have become fearful to try new things unless you absolutely knew what the outcome will be even though there is no parent, relative, neighborhood or schoolyard bully there to chastise you anymore. You may have been programmed to fear making mistakes or taking on something you may not be good at. This behavior is what contributes to your over-thinking, anxiety and inability to make decisions timely. This hampers your ability to learn new things and grow.
You need to understand that this fear was developed when you were growing up, when you did not have the coping skills to deal with or understand the pain you felt, thus, you may have developed a practice to avoid going through experiences that brings you this pain or a possible feeling of failure. However, what you have forgotten as an adult is that there is no one there anymore to make you feel that you are a failure, you are making yourself feel it. It is likened to the story of the baby elephant that was tied to the circus tent with a small rope. He couldn’t break the rope as a baby so he stopped trying even when he grew big enough to break free. As long as he saw the rope, he didn’t try. You are still chained to your old way of thinking.
Start with baby steps. Try something new every day. It could be a new flavor of coffee or accepting an invitation to go out with co-workers. You could sign up for a free class at the community college to learn a new skill or even simply visit a store you normally wouldn’t go into. Try cooking something if you don’t normally cook. Instead of streaming your normal show, boost your education by watching a documentary on our planet. You will find out that nothing fell apart in your life (and you didn’t miss out on anything) when you tried something new, and when you made a few mistakes trying this new experience no one was there to scold you. You will be surprised to find it exhilarating to try new things when you no one is there to make you feel bad. Making mistakes and trying something new is part of the learning process. Keep it up and it will give you the courage to continue to try new things. This behavior change is the key to growing and changing your life for the better.
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