Confident Connections Section 4

Hey there friend,

Did you get Walter and Donna’s kitchen cleaned up? I hope it wasn’t too awful.

Life looks a lot brighter for them, I’m sure. Hopefully, they won’t “wonder” so much in the next few days, and you will feel better. Let me introduce you to Creative Critic Number 5, Flora. She’s a sweetie- kind of.

Creative Critic #5; Flora the Flawyer

Flora Flawyer has had many years of study. She is also a bit of a perfectionist. If Flora gets a B+ in Math class, she will be devastated, and sure she has failed. She will ask for extra credit to bring her grades to her accustomed perfection.

Flora is a master of strategy and rhetoric and a brilliant orator.

That girl really has a gift for words!

She will carefully craft a case of all of your perceived inadequacies and shortcomings.

She will show you why you are not prepared.

Flora will list all of the clear and dramatic ways you could fail.

Finally, in her closing remarks, she will make a definitive argument as to why you shouldn’t try.

It’s dangerous, you know….

You can’t win an argument with Flora.

You can only testify to her about what you know.

She respects testimony, given that her background is the law.

Here are some ideas to get you started with retraining Flora.

Remember, she loves you; she is simply a little misguided in her protection.

Let’s help her out, shall we?

Try these:

I know you are concerned, but I am up for this.

Cite for her the times in your past when you have succeeded-

begin with “I know……” Like this:

I know that I am capable of success.

I know that I am inspired with this choice.

I know that people love me.

I know that I have good things coming.

Those are the ones most like me.

Choose the ones that are most like you.

Make your own list by remembering the kind things that have been said to you.

(What did your grandma say?)

Remember compliments you have received in the past.

Write them down.

You’ve got this!

Make your list.

Go teach Flora how great you are. She will feel safer and stop bothering you.

Let her run off and have the fun she has been missing by trying too hard.

I am looking forward to sharing with you again tomorrow!

Keep practicing.