Do you find yourself being super critical and judgmental about yourself? Sometimes that inner critic is helpful. Other times is it not. It can cause us to alway be in our head, telling us we are not good enough, never will be, points out every little perceived mistake, compares us to others, and can cause us to shut down and “clam up.”

Try using this analogy as an alternative to that judgmental self and see if you can use it as a different process of viewing yourself and your stage of growth.

If you were to plant a sunflower seed in the earth, like I did in my backyard, and gave it water and sun, it would start to grow. The first little spout would be small. Would you criticizes this little sprout for not being bigger or not having deeper roots?! For not having flowers?! No, of course not! It is just a little plant starting out from a seed. Instead you stand in wonder that your little seed started to grow. You would give it more water and tend to it at each of its stages of growth, from seed, to sprout, to stalk, to flower, and beyond. The sunflower is a sunflower from the time it is a seed to until it dies. Within it, at all times, it contains its whole potential. It seems to be constantly in a process of change; yet at each state, at each moment, it is perfectly all right as it is.

How can you apply this to your own process and growth? How can you be accepting of who you are and where you are at during your process of change?

 

If you want to find out more about my approach and therapy practice feel free check out my website www.peterbinnings.com. I offer free 15-30 minute phone consultations. I serve adults and teens. My office is in Downtown Santa Cruz, and I see clients from the Santa Cruz, Soquel, Scotts Valley, Los Gatos and San Jose area.