The first time I encountered Laura Vanderkam’s definition of core competencies, I was awestruck. “What do I do best, that other people cannot do nearly as well or do at all?” I clutched my little Kindle in hand, and read the lines over and over again. In the background played the measured, steady breathing of my sweet toddler son, asleep in the bed next to me. I let the question roll back and forth in my mind.
Your self-talk frames the way you approach a problem, and deal with the consequences. Here are some weasel phrases we often use to undercut our own motivation, and their empowering counterparts. Change the way you frame a problem, and boost your success.
To be honest, I am not one of those people who finds self-care greedy. I have long thought that part of being a kind person is being kind to yourself. In a healthy relationship, boundaries define what is my responsibility and what is yours. I learned long ago that it is no one’s responsibility to advocate for me but my own. When I need some free time, I clearly request it.
The greatest benefit I had from reading The Fringe Hours was clarifying how I should be spending the unattended time.
