Day Thirteen - Vampire Slayer
31 Days of Spooky Symbols
No, not specifically that vampire slayer, although so many of my friends would love to have me chat about all things Buffy, all the time. I’m talking about your inner vampire slayer. Hear me out.
One of the fears that frequently arises with my clients is the fear of being judged. It’s a BIGGIE!
It causes you to avoid speaking up. It can convince you to keep parts of yourself hidden, even when you love those parts of yourself. It can make you believe that you need to be liked all the time and have to act a certain way to ensure it. It can even keep you from doing good things for your health because you don’t want to be seen working out. This fear is sneaky, just like a vampire in the night.
I get it. I have spent a long part of my own life learning to overcome this fear, and for me, it helps to remember that judgment is unavoidable. I mean, nobody likes that idea, but when we allow ourselves to simply sit with that idea, we can let the icky feelings about it rise and give ourselves compassion.
And that’s where our vampire slayer image comes in. Out of all the tools in your inner toolkit, self-compassion can help you slay the soul sucking vampire of self-doubt.
Compassion is like sunlight to the vampire of being judged. This is especially true if you are the one judging and criticizing yourself. That judgy feeling withers in the warmth of self-kindness.
Surrounding yourself with supportive people also helps. We can feel alone when we fear being judged, so knowing people are in your corner is like having your own personal Scooby Gang. (See, I did give a nod to Buffy).