Your own worst enemy

You’ve heard the phrase “do unto others as you would do unto yourself” probably somewhere close to a thousand times by the time you’ve read this. In keeping with our recent theme of self-respect, I am going to suggest you do unto yourself. Wow. That may sound a little self-interested but hear me out. When you offer criticism to others, it’s in service of helping them improve their craft or trade. When you criticize yourself, you tend to do so with no holds barred. It’s less a matter of building skill and more a matter of chastisement. We as humans have the unfortunate compulsion to see and obsess over the worst parts of themselves.

Life beats you down, you need to dust yourself off, shine your shoes, and get back out there. You take enough punishment from others and life itself, so even if you distance yourself from your naysayers, you can never outrun yourself. Take a moment each morning to look in the mirror and realize that you make a difference. You have your own unique set of traits, skills, and talents. Your contributions are something coded to you, able to grow and flourish which makes you an asset no one else has.

No one said it would be easy. You’ll face challenges and discouragement every step of the way. What matters the most is how you choose to confront these obstacles and trials. Nothing is more crucial to getting past your doubts and your downfalls like pushing yourself. Setting constant goals and striving to meet them at whatever cost is what is going to transform you into who you want to be, but don’t think that doesn’t mean that you’re not a person worth knowing now.