The Overwhelmed Brain

Emotional Intelligence for Critical Thinkers

Search Results for: self-worth

Feeling Unworthy by Comparison – Your Partner’s Controlling Parent – Breakdown of Narcissism – Recycling Dysfunction

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Feeling Unworthy by Comparison – Your Partner’s Controlling Parent – Breakdown of Narcissism – Recycling Dysfunction
Feeling Unworthy by Comparison – Your Partner’s Controlling Parent – Breakdown of Narcissism – Recycling Dysfunction
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Feeling Unworthy by Comparison – Your Partner’s Controlling Parent – Breakdown of Narcissism – Recycling Dysfunction
July 9, 2017

Comparing yourself to other people is the fastest way to low self-worth and low self-esteem.

Why do we always compare ourselves to people that are better looking, wealthier, healthier, and have more success in areas of life that we are still working on? It seems like a black hole of misery that will never end.

In segment one, I talk about one of my good friends who is self-employed and wondering why she isn’t succeeding after a few months of what I see has been a very successful time for her. She is comparing her success to those that have been in the business for a long time and that comparison is making her feel down.

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Handling negative feedback – Stop worrying about everything – Enabling is disabling – Guilt and apologies

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Handling negative feedback – Stop worrying about everything – Enabling is disabling – Guilt and apologies
Handling negative feedback – Stop worrying about everything – Enabling is disabling – Guilt and apologies
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Handling negative feedback – Stop worrying about everything – Enabling is disabling – Guilt and apologies
July 4, 2017

How do you handle negative feedback? There’s a golden opportunity to sink or swim when someone puts you down. Their comments don’t have to equal pain and a hit on your self-worth or self-esteem.

In fact, maybe it’s possible that the one person you remember putting you down is the very impetus you needed to improve something about yourself.

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What are Guilt and Shame – Fearing Rejection and Abandonment – Solving All Your Problems

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What are Guilt and Shame – Fearing Rejection and Abandonment – Solving All Your Problems
What are Guilt and Shame – Fearing Rejection and Abandonment – Solving All Your Problems
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What are Guilt and Shame – Fearing Rejection and Abandonment – Solving All Your Problems
April 16, 2017

Guilt and shame are two battles in two different dimensions: Internal and external.

Internally, you can feel guilt for something you’ve said or done. Externally, you can feel shame by being the recipient of other people’s judging and blaming.

In this episode, a listener asks me the difference between the two so I do my best to explain how I see it.

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Overcoming General Unease – When Nothing Works Out in Life – Questioning Trust in Relationships

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Overcoming General Unease – When Nothing Works Out in Life – Questioning Trust in Relationships
Overcoming General Unease – When Nothing Works Out in Life – Questioning Trust in Relationships
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Overcoming General Unease – When Nothing Works Out in Life – Questioning Trust in Relationships
March 5, 2017

In part one of this special three-part article, I dive into the underlying currents of fear, anxiety, and discomfort that can shadow our everyday lives, influencing decisions and interactions, particularly with toxic individuals.

These choices, often made to avoid conflict, can lead to a cycle of unhappiness and fulfillment. I explore the concept of “taking the bullet”—making tough, pivotal decisions that can either perpetuate misery or halt it altogether.

In part two, I address the despair that comes from a life where everything seems to lead to more pain and toxicity, questioning what to do when all seems lost and when your past is marred by abuse and neglect. There is a way of rewriting your future, regardless of past hardships.

In part three, I talk about the importance of building trust in relationships. This journey involves making definitive choices and moving toward closure about things you feel like you can’t let go. Closure allows for a shift from a life of turmoil to one of peace and fulfillment.

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The Ego-Crushing Path to Enlightenment

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I’d like to share an embarrassing story with you. In my early thirties, I thought I was one of the best harmonica players in the world. I really did! After all, I was imitating some of the best players so obviously, I was just as talented.

Then I decided that I wanted to be the best, so I bought some CDs and started imitating more players. However, after listening to other artists perform their music, I was suddenly struck with the realization that not only was I not in the top tier of best players in the world, but I wasn’t even on the bottom rung of a very tall ladder of talent and skill.

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