Good question right? Why do we fear being judged? What can you do about it to stop it from overwhelming your thoughts?
We all fear being judged at some point in our lives. Whether it’s for wearing the wrong clothes, saying the wrong thing, or simply looking different from the rest of society. It can be crippling to have these fears when you want to achieve great things in life. Luckily, there are ways to overcome this fear and let go of any self-imposed limitations you may be holding yourself back from unlocking your true potential.
One thing is for certain: it’s not easy to overcome the fear of being judged or getting negative feedback from someone else, but there are things that can help you get over this fear.
Why Do I Fear Being Judged?
When we ask ourselves the question, why do I fear being judged all the time, often times the answer comes from our past. The words that people say to us can have a lasting effect, leaving us feeling powerless and vulnerable.
Over time, the things that people say to us can shape our own opinion of ourselves. This can lead to a fear of being judged, which if we are not careful, can negatively impact our relationships, jobs, social situations, and self-esteem.
Instead of focusing on the why, focus on the how can your overcome and move forward with a more positive mindset.
8 Methods to Overcome a Fear of Being Judged
Try these techniques to overcome this fear and get your self-esteem back on track:
Learn your strengths and limitations. Once you know your own strengths and limitations, you’ll be less likely to be affected by what others say. Their opinions on your abilities become irrelevant, since you know what you are capable of. Be confident in your own abilities and recognize when you need to ask for help. Believe in yourself – try this affirmation to help.
Practice makes progress not perfection. Know that things do not need to be perfect. Human perfection is a myth. You can do well with your tasks without them being perfect. Avoid focusing on any imperfections. Be confident that you are doing the best that you can – and that your best is good enough.
Everyone has an opinion. Understand that people will always have an opinion. Some opinions will please you and others won’t. What matters most, though, is your own opinion.
When it comes to your own opinion. be aware of your inner critic. That little voice in your own head can become deafening at times, so it’s important to recognize when negative thoughts start to creep in.
Once you start to recognize what triggers these negative thoughts, you can take the necessary steps to change them into positive ones.
Make yourself a priority. When you allow someone else’s judgement to cloud your own perceptions, you actually give that person power and priority over your life. You can take back control of your life by recognizing that you are your priority, not them. Be confident in yourself.
Invest in yourself. Enhance your personal growth and well-being by doing more of what you enjoy doing. Take time for self-care. The better you treat yourself, the better others will treat you as well. This will decrease your fear of their judgement.
Memories don’t last forever. Know that your memories fade. Even though hearing someone criticize you hurts at the time, if you purposely put it to the back of your mind by thinking of something else more positive, then the memory of this event will fade. There is only so much room in your memory storage, so you want to make sure that you aren’t giving these negative thoughts priority over more positive thoughts.
You are good enough. Tell yourself that you are good enough. You are worthy. Looking squarely at yourself in a mirror and telling yourself that you are good enough can help. Practice this exercise several times each day – whenever you’re in front of a mirror. Try this I am worthy positive affirmation to reinforce this skill.
Repeat the affirmation that you are good enough or that you are worthy off and on throughout the day, especially when you feel doubt or negative thoughts.
Soon, you will automatically think about how you are good enough every time you see yourself. Your self-talk will automatically start to gravitate to the positive. Consistent, positive reassurance such as this can help overcome the fear of failure and being judged. Make it a daily habit to reduce your fears of being judged. Read more about focusing on positive thoughts here.
In the future, instead of asking yourself why do I fear being judged you can have positive thoughts and know that you are good enough.
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