Do you have a dialogue in your head that helps you?

You should not have have done that.

You know it is going to cost you more in the long run.

Why did you say that to them, now they likely think you are a Republican!

That dinner last night was terrible, you should have stayed home and written that blog just like I told you to.

Are you going to start packing for your vacation or are you going to go out in the snow to run an errand?

You know if you go out and have an accident you will miss your flight tomorrow, but mom is expecting to see you before you leave, and she will be disappointed if you don’t go.

You really should be packing and not sitting here trying to catch up all of these blogs, we need some coffee, what time does does Starbucks open, really it is too windy and cold, better brew your own?

Only 24 hours before you fly, you have too much to do to waste time.

It is the never ending, never pausing voice that run a constant commentary on my life. Here are the 4 most common voices that never stop chattering to me.

The You Should Voice

This voice tries to make me feel guilty about everything. It constantly tells me what I should or should not be doing. You should clean your room, you should not be taking a nap this late, you should make your bed, you should get that blog written before you go out to run, you should call your mom, you shouldn’t eat that pizza. A minute on the lips a life time on the hips! You shouldn’t date that guy, and on and on. Sometimes this voice keeps me from eating that whole pint of ice cream or at least makes me think first about my priorities.

The Voice of Distraction

This voice just wants to distract and do what it wants to do. Let’s color in the coloring books, how about knitting a new scarf, lets go for a walk.  Did you call? What are people saying on Facebook, let’s check.

The Critical Parent

Critical of every action and inaction, this voice makes me doubt myself if I give it enough attention. It criticizes nearly everything and everyone. Your driving is terrible. You always choose to date the wrong kind of guy. You never get things done on time, and that blog was stupid you should spend more time on them. Is that all you are going to do today; you are being lazy. Well it is the end of the day and what did you accomplish? This voice will keep you working 24 hours a day it will even wake you in the middle of the night!

 The Over Protective Voice

This is the voice that warns you about everything and every one. It is the voice that says you cannot and should not. It says how do you know that it will work? What if it fails and you lose all your money and the kids will starve and you will be homeless. It is better to get a job and stop thinking about this crazy idea of starting a business because it is dangerous. You should not go all alone, the world is a dangerous place, you could be kidnapped by ISIS and they might chop off your head after making you a slave and you would never make a good slave because you are too stubborn! You know I have been telling you that all along, you need to be more compliant and then people would work with you more.

 

When I have to make a decision I journal all the concerns, all the benefits and ask myself all of the questions until I know that I have a realistic decision that is well thought out. After all these are just different voice of me, my voices of self guilt, self criticism, self distraction and self questioning. I learned that I do not have to join every single conversation that goes on in my head and I do not have to own the thoughts as if they are realistic.

Now the voice in my head says I have a lot to do and I am lingering far to long on this blog, it is time to go!