What is bugging you?

What is bugging you?

What is the (likely unconscious) nagging belief, inner criticism, or vague fear that is bothering you most right now? Pause, breathe, check inside and see what you sense as you ask yourself that question. You might write down what comes.

Try saying this:

“Knowing that I am loved and supported, I am willing to hold the feelings that accompany these thoughts, statements or worries.”

Pause and take some time and space to be with whatever feelings are there, as you are able. You might want to write down the feeling words that go with the feelings.

Now try completing this statement:

“These feelings are partly or wholly from the past and the thought, statement, or worry is probably not true, or not fully true. Here is what might be true instead:____________”

This is an excerpt from my STRONG worksheet. I will add a separate comment with a link to get the worksheet once the post is up.

Here’s what came up for me as I just did this exercise:

What is the (likely unconscious) nagging belief, inner criticism, or vague fear that is bothering you most right now? Pause, breathe, check inside and see what you sense as you ask yourself that question.

*That I’m missing my chance.

That there is something I’m supposed to be doing and I’m not doing it.*

Try saying this:

“Knowing that I am loved and supported, I am willing to hold the feelings that accompany these thoughts, statements or worries.”

Pause and take some time and space to be with whatever feelings are there, as you are able. You might want to write down the feeling words that go with the feelings.

*Panic

*Guilt

*Confusion

*Sadness

Now try completing this statement:

“These feelings are partly or wholly from the past and the thought, statement, or worry is probably not true, or not fully true. Here is what might be true instead:____________”

*I am in a time of big transition. 

It’s maybe less about what I do or don’t do and more about how I do it.

I’m used to acting from fear and constriction, feeling and believing that I am about to be in trouble every step of the way.

So whatever, I do, whether it’s a necessary productive activity or a self-care activity or a relational activity, I want to notice fear or not fear, constriction or ease, do I feel permission to be alive and myself while I do the thing, whatever the thing is.

My body softens and settles with those words.*

Click here to get the entire STRONG worksheet if you want to try working with that resource.