Enabling My Internal Pop-Up Blocker

 Often as we surf websites we are encourage to disable our browser's pop-up blocker to enable all content to flow to us.  Makes sense, as having a fulsome experience while navigating the web is what we are looking for.  What would we do if this content felt vicious, harmful or hurtful?  Would we keep our pop-up blocker disabled or would we move to protect ourselves and filter the toxic messaging that was coming our way?  I think that we all know the logical answer.

Many of us are living our lives with our internal pop-up blockers also disabled.  We allow all sorts of negative and hurtful messaging to flow into our consciousness on a regular, and sometimes constant basis.  The worst part -- these harmful messages are coming from inside of us.  We look in the mirror without seeing ourselves looking back.  Instead of meeting our eyes with compassion and love, we start to pick ourselves apart, focusing solely on the things that we have decided are flaws or unlovable.  We then move to start our day carrying this negative feedback and imagery.  As we begin to tackle tasks and responsibilities, we may start to critique aspects of our performance or the results that we are achieving.  Again allowing our inner critic to flow that toxic content our way.  And so our day continues.  We move from moment to moment taking in messaging that is incorrect, unkind and unnecessary.  

What if we made a conscious decision to enable our internal pop-up blocker instead?  How would it feel to short-circuit this feedback loop before it was able to really gain momentum?  What would it feel like to see things more clearly and from the lens of love for ourselves as we are in each moment?  

When I first considered trying this I will admit I was a bit concerned.  Maybe that inner critic was the thing that motivated me to try harder.  If I turned that off would I still feel as compelled to achieve goals in my life?  Would I become lazy and complacent, having convinced myself that I was perfect as I am and no further work was required?  The more I thought about it, the more I realized that the opposite would be true. 

You see from where I stand, although the inner critic may feel like it is providing motivation, any motivation that it does provide is fueled by fear.  Fear of failure.  Fear of not being liked.  Fear of not being enough.  And the list goes on.  When you take away that aspect, suddenly setting goals or aspirations comes from a completely different place.  It comes from a sense of wonder and potential, fueled by the question "What If?".  What if I tried to do X?  What is possible to accomplish?  What could I achieve if I wasn't afraid of failing?

I am tired of being afraid.  I am tired of listening to these worn-out recordings of nonsense.  I am ready to enable my pop-up blocker and reignite my sense of wonder.  Who's with me?  

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