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A few weeks ago when I went to teach my Livestream Fitness class, no one showed. Or so I thought. Turns out when I’d pasted the Zoom link into the email the wrong link pasted and….no one could attend.

But in the moment my brain didn’t go to this alternate reality. It went down the self-criticism rabbit hole…which went something like this:

  • I’m such a loser, no one wants these classes
  • Why doesn’t anyone like my classes?
  • What’s wrong with me?
  • Why can’t anything I do really “work?”
  • I’m such a failure.

Whoa. Whoa. Whoa.

I know what you’re thinking, what?! Isn’t this a confident, business woman who does all these awesome things?! Yup. I am. I’m also human. And here’s the thing about us humans. We all have our challenges. We ALL have our struggles. We ALL have our stories.

Mine is “I’m not enough.” And that little nugget has been with me forever. And while I’ve made tremendous progress “letting it go,” every now and then it rears it’s little critical unsupportive head.

Like a bully in my head. CHIRP. CHIRP. CHIRP.

And so, in the moment, faced with no class participants I thought, ugh, this sucks, but I know a good number of my peeps catch the replay, so onward. I taught the class. PS. It was exactly what I needed. Sweat is magic that way.

As soon as I sat down to my computer I realized my mistake. Oh man. The worst!

And that’s when I remembered this strategy. A bit late, but better late than never.

When you’re stuck in a self-critical rumination loop ask yourself:

Is this thought or is this fact?

FYI: most often we’re caught in thought.

Then, ask yourself this awesome follow up:

What are three viable alternative options to this scenario?

In my case, I may have come up with:

  • People may have slept in.
  • Maybe another person had a sick kid or maybe they’re sick!
  • Perhaps people are planning to do the replay today instead!
  • Check your email girl, you sent the wrong link!
  • Or maybe, just maybe…it’s NOT ABOUT ME.

Oh being human!

Next time you’re stuck in rumination … try it on. Mom tip: this one is particularly powerful for kids. Because it’s simple and easy to use. And because, they’re tiny humans too.