Are you ready to be your own good father? Good fathers protect, acknowledge and encourage. They teach the importance of taking responsibility and taking risks. They acknowledge fledgling efforts and cheer you at every impasse. If you were lucky enough to have such a dad, you have a good model to follow. If you didn’t get enough of this attention as a child, you may be having a hard time achieving life goals now. Unfortunately, these adult difficulties often lead to self recrimination and blame.
Here’s the tip. First, see if you feel ready to take on fatherly responsibility for yourself. If not, no blame. Seek help from a compassionate and skilled professional. If yes, start with a commitment to stop judging yourself. Then, make a daily list of the small, seemingly insignificant goals you achieve every day. Call it your ‘Already Done’ list. Next, and this is very important, slow down enough to make sure you actually feel good about what you’re already doing. Sad, mad, scared emotions may arise as you take in the acknowledgment you deserve. Allow them to move briefly. If numb, breathe and be present with the experience of numbness in your body until it dissolves and you can feel again.
Finally, once peaceful, think carefully about your aspirations. If you have a big dream, chunk it into easily achievable actions….each one building on the next.
Remember, every long journey begins with a single step. You can do it!
