Don’t be your own “crab in your bucket”

I’ve talked a lot about the people in your life who may be crabs in your bucket. They’ll say certain things that come off as caring but are actually hindering. But maybe the most persistent crab in your bucket is you. Certain fears and insecurities can be so crippling that they handicap us into inaction.

Your own worst enemy

Not many people are open enough to accepting the faults in themselves. Instead of facing their short-comings head-on, people  come up with excuses. You’ve heard them. And you’ve probably said a few of them yourself.

“I can’t lose weight because I don’t have time to cook or work out.”

“I can’t go back to school because it’s too expensive.”

“I can’t save more money because I don’t make enough.”

Sometimes, we can be our own worst enemies. We berate ourselves over the tiniest mistakes. Or we just give up on our savings or weight loss goals when we have a bad day. Your thoughts are the foundation of your actions. And with thoughts like the ones above, you’re taking yourself out of the running for living your ideal life.

Don’t be your own crab

I’ve talked a lot about the crabs who are people you know and love. But the ones that are in your head are just as dangerous. Those crabs are the ones that succumb to fear and insecurity. And we feed into them by constantly telling ourselves negative things. Sure, excuses may make us content temporarily. But what they do long-term is feed into our disappointments.

Don’t be your own crab. Don’t allow yourself to remain unmoved as your fear and insecurities grow. Change those negative thoughts to encouraging ones. Do something each day that will get you closer to your goals, and then congratulate yourself when you’re finished. Just as negative thoughts are the basis of destructive behavior, positive thoughts net positive actions.

Those inner crabs will start to quiet even further when you stop spending time with the outer crabs. So make it a point to surround yourself with encouragers: people who see your vision and believe you can make it happen. Maybe this means taking a Pilates class twice a week and going for coffee with your classmates after. Or it could be joining a Meetup group for female entrepreneurs. Positivity and encouragement is one thing, but being around people who are living the life you want influences action more than anything else.

Silencing the inner crabs

It’s never too late to make positive change in your life. Once you recognize what exactly those crabs are, you can then go on the path of climbing out of that bucket. Replace negative thoughts with positive ones, act on your desires and surround yourself with people doing the things that you want to do. With dedication and positive intentions, you can silence those inner crabs.

Tags: Julie Murphy, positive thinking quotes, crabs in your bucket, living your dreams, Chicago personal finance, Chicago financial advisor, emotion behind the money

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