Budda In Your Back Pocket

The other day I was late for something. Not very late. In fact, I was actually on time but an angry voice berated me anyway, saying, "You are late! There will be no seats left. You wouldn't run late if you were more organized!" It was a terrible feeling, especially because the voice was partially right.

Who was this voice yelling at me? It was my nemesis the Shrew who lives in my head.

We all get annoyed at ourselves from time to time; it is only natural. But for some of us, it can become an unrelenting bother. There can be no contentment when the Shrew is on the scene!

Some call it a gremlin, others an inner critic, others negative self-talk. I call her the Shrew. No matter what you call yours, you know who I mean. She's fierce, she's damning and she's quick to pounce on every mistake you make, turning them into capital offenses. The Shrew exaggerates our flaws, smashes our self-esteem, ruins our confidence, distracts us from what we are doing and makes us miserable.

I am choosing not to live with it anymore! I invite you to do the same. There is a force which can tame the Shrew: The Buddha in Your Back Pocket*.

Think of a time when you witnessed a stranger being scolded and felt badly for them. Perhaps it was a worker being accused by an angry boss of "screwing things up" for something you knew wasn't their fault. Did you wish you could go up to that worker and say, "Don't pay any attention to them. I saw what happened and I know you are a doing a good job!"

This softer side of you is the anti-Shrew. It is empathy and compassion. The Shrew is afraid of it because she fears you might offer it to yourself. It is a skill to learn to apply this loving, tender, supportive side of ourselves to ourselves. Many of us, me included, are not in the habit of it.

The morning I was late, Ms. Shrew was in full force. But, before she could ruin my day, I was able to ward her off by pulling out the Buddha in My Back Pocket. It felt a bit like Luke Skywalker yielding a light saber against Darth Vader. "Luke, use the force!"

I let the powerful voice of the Buddha in My Back Pocket counter the accusations of the Shrew. He asked, "What were your reasons for making the choices you did this morning?" and "Would you make these same choices again?" Then he reminded me of two universal truths: "You are doing the best you can" and "Growth involves observing one's actions and then learning from them." Under this influence of love and a genuine intention to seek understanding, I was able to temporarily silence the Shrew, objectively analyze my "lateness" and gain valuable personal insight. Within a few minutes, I felt relieved, re-engaged in life and able to peacefully continue with the rest of my day.

Unfortunately, we can't eradicate the Shrew completely. But we can learn to access this equalizing force: the pursuit of empathetic understanding a loving friend that takes your side and helps you learn about yourself in a safe and protected way. The Buddha in your Back Pocket is always with you to calm your mind, forgive your errs, and remind you of the growth in your life. As you cultivate your relationship with the Buddha in your Back Pocket, you will experience more self-love, confidence and peace.

Life is too short to spend time unnecessarily berating ourselves with critical self-talk! Go forth into your day and bring the Buddha in Your Back Pocket with you. You never know when you might need it!

*I do not wish to offend anyone by using the title Buddha. I have the utmost respect for the Buddhist tradition. In this article, I refer to Buddha as a representation of an enlightened teacher offering guidance to those who chose to listen.

Deirdre's coaching is an accelerant that helps produce results. Through scheduled teleconferences, Deirdre creates a structured environment where you can work towards your goals. Using practical analysis, active listening and brainstorming, she challenges you to improve your quality of life immediately.

Looking for a topic and speaker for your next meeting? Why not: "How to Create Exceptional Work-Life Balance" based on Deirdre's upcoming book Intensely Content: Seven Steps to Experiencing More Joy in Your Life? Work-Life balance is always a crowd-pleasing topic! Call Deirdre today to discuss the details of your event: 207-439-4280.

Presentation Folders for Corporate Marketing
Folders are normally used to store important documents. But the role of folders doesnt stop there. A presentation folder has a great part to portray in improving the growth of a business. Though most people use it to organize documents still it has become a great marketing tool that any business should not ignore.Normally you can see that the prese...

Home Insurance - Take Care Of Your House Against Unseen Events
Whether you purchase a house or you get it constructed, it is your responsibility to take good care of it. This includes protecting it against natural disasters. After all, your house stands forever at risk, exposed to the vagaries of the climate. Apart from the usual wear-and-tear it faces and the repair and maintenance work that needs to be perfo...

Are Personal Loans Right Choices For Bad Credit Debt Borrowers?
Availing personal loans is a good option for fulfilling our personal desires. But persons with bad debt cannot easily avail any personal loans. Due to their bad credit score their loans application forms used to be snubbed by lenders. Now, bad credit debt personal loans are specially tailored for them.Here, we need to know What are bad credit debt ...

Home Insurance - Secure Your Home, Fulfill Your Responsibility
If you have a home, it is also your duty as a responsible house owner to protect it against various risks and disasters. However, you also have to look at the point that the premium rates applicable on your insurance policy should be manageable. This way you can ensure that your house is safe from events which, as and when they come, can be heartbr...

Best EBook Income - Uncover 7 Outstanding Steps to Supercharge Your EBook Income
Has your eBook been a disappointment? Did you think that you were going to have a terrific business, but the sales just are not there? Well keep reading for the most outstanding 7 steps to supercharge you eBook income. All the tricks of the trade are right here in this one little article. Follow these steps and watch your earnings grow.1. Let y...

Promotional Pens - A Great Trade Show Giveaway
One of the best items that you can give away during a trade show is a promotional pen. They are very popular at trade shows for a good reason when people go to trade shows, they are inundated with papers, pamphlets and flyers, most of which get tossed into a pile back at the office, never to be looked at again. However, if you had out a promotiona...

5 Reasons Being Debt Free Rules
Here at the Learning Center, we talk a lot about the different forms of debt relief, like debt consolidation, debt management, bankruptcy, credit counseling, etc. These are important topics, and after all you wouldnt be reading this stuff if you didnt need help with your credit card debt. However, it can be tiresome to focus repeatedly on either th...