Self Criticism: Turning a Disaster into an Opportunity

Have you ever been consumed by thoughts like “I am useless, I am stupid, I never get things right”? I am sure you have. If we would research the prevalence of self-criticism, we would probably find that it exists in epidemic proportions. No matter how good your intentions were that motivated you to engage in a project if it fails self-criticism of the above nature can become an uninvited guest.

Every person makes mistakes. Carl Jung is quoted to have said “(man/woman) …learns little or nothing from his successes. They mainly confirm him in his mistakes, while his failures, on the other hand, are priceless experiences in that they not only open up the way to a deeper truth but force him to change his views and methods”.  Mistakes are the pearls that pave the way to greater knowledge and wisdom.

Don’t Quit

There are a number of times in a year where people get easily stressed and become vulnerable to get flooded with hurtful memories that then become hard to cope with. Christmas is such a precarious time of struggle where everything feels too hard. Some people end up thinking of quitting.

I would say ‘don’t quit’ because overcoming obstacles teach us about our selves and about the world around us. Overcoming our fears and facing obstacles also makes us resilient and strong. Overcoming obstacles that form a resistance to a planned path of action is necessary for people to grow. Physics teaches us that there is no life without resistance.