Catch the ‘Yeah, But…’

So a compliment comes your way, someone telling you just how special you are and what happens?  Do you soak that in, do you say - ‘you are RIGHT!  I am special!’  Or is there a different voice in your head that says… “yeah, but… I know I am a terrible person pretending to be good.”  Or maybe your voice is not that harsh, maybe your voice just says… “yeah, but… I should have done more.”  Or “yeah, but not really, I am not really special.”  

Do you know the sound of this ‘yeah, but’ voice?  It shows up as shoulds and shouldn’ts, as a way of measuring yourself against some line that doesn’t exist, as criticism, and as judgment.  It is the opposite of the compliment. The ‘yeah, but’ voice steals the compliment and changes it to harsh energy, and yet all we want is for our hearts to stir with love and joy.

It is understandable that we have all of these ‘yeah, but’ thoughts.  Society constantly tells us that we are not enough, we don’t have enough, and the unattainable is well… unattainable.  It tells us to wait for the next best thing to be joyful, it tells us to try harder, faster, and do more, more, more.  Maybe you had a parent or a boss that pushed, pushed, pushed.  These are the kinds of things that create the ‘yeah, but’ voice for a lot of us.  And yet, the truth is you are worthy of love, joy, peace, or calm, just by your very existence.  And a compliment is an opportunity to receive, to know, to feel, that love, joy, peace, or calm.  When we give it a giant ‘yeah, but’ we push all of that away.

Try catching this voice in action.  Catch the ‘yeah, but’.  What would happen if you let the compliment, the good feeling sink in, without chasing it away.  You are really an incredible person.  NO 'YEAH, BUT'.  You are really an incredible person.  Can you say that to yourself?  I AM an incredible person.  It might be hard at first, and I believe in you.  You can do this.  Try it.  Practice using words like this with yourself everyday.  I am amazing.  I AM worthy of love and joy and whatever it is you want in this life.  I am amazing.  Catch the ‘yeah, but’ and try love instead.

Can you feel that stirring in your heart?  That’s the truth.  You. Are. Amazing.  Look at you!  You go have this life that is ready for the one and only you.  You’ve got this.  NO 'YEAH, BUT'.