Your best foe
Your best foe needs no introduction. It lives with you every day. As you go about your routine, you unknowingly invite it to shape your thoughts. Moreover, it speaks to you in your own voice.
It mocks you. reprimands you. Furthermore, it uses the harshest tone to remind you of your flaws. And yet you listen. You believe this inner critic will make you stronger, more disciplined, more successful. You are afraid of making mistakes because of the judgmental voice that will echo in your head.
Still wondering who your best foe is? It is that little, harsh, critical voice inside your head.
What you rarely ask yourself is this:
- Has your best foe truly helped you become a better person?
- Are you better off not listening to it?
“You have been criticizing yourself for years, and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.” – Louise Hay
Mental health story
Late at night, she sat on her bed, exhausted. Her three-month-old baby cried relentlessly. She too was shedding silent tears. She could not explain why.
A heavy sadness consumed her. Her maternal instincts felt distant. She felt disconnected from the child and herself.
She told herself “Be normal”, believing this phase would pass. Therefore, she pushed through for weeks until she opened up to her doctor.
The diagnosis: Postpartum Depression.
It felt more like a label than a reassurance. However, she sought help. She found people who understood. Slowly, she healed. Vitality returned. She was able to give and receive love and care for herself and for her child.
What was visible were her tears but not inner struggle. What healed her was self care, acceptance, and compassionate support.
Mental health journeys involve battling stigma, fear, and feeling of being misunderstood.
The road may seem lonely but it doesn’t have to be walked alone.
“Healing takes time, and asking for help is a courageous step.” – Mariska Hargitay
Allow for inconvenience
Allow for inconvenience. After all, what is growth without inconvenience?
It is inconvenient to:
Wake up early for a morning walk, as it nurtures your physical and mental health
Meet your friend face-to-face. It disrupts your schedule. However, it deepens the emotional connection
Make the child think independently. It takes longer than giving answers, but it fosters critical thinking
When you avoid inconvenience, you are holding on to inertia
When you remove inconvenience for others, you may be interfering with their freedom and growth
Before intervening to ease someone’s path ask yourself: Are you helping or hindering their growth?
“Persuade thyself that imperfection and inconvenience are the natural lot of mortals, and there will be no room for discontent, neither for despair.” – Tokugawa Ieyasu