Against Myself

For the past week and a half I have been thinking and researching about the business ideas that I have in mind. I am quite excited about the whole thing. But somehow at the back of my mind there is this nagging voice that constantly keeps telling me that I am just wasting my time.

I know that it takes a lot of hard work to start and maintain a business, no matter how small. I know that it will be even harder if I really choose to do it by myself, from purchasing to manufacturing to sales and delivery. Whenever I think about the hard work that will be involved once I begin this venture, half of me shudders and shrinks at the mere thought.

I hear the voice telling me that I will never make it, that I will never be able to take the immense responsibilities that I will have to shoulder once I embark on this. It tells me that I am just a lazy person who only wants to be able to sleep in late and do whatever I feel like doing whenever I feel like doing it. It tells me that I am only intrigued by the idea of starting my own business but have no idea about what it takes to really run a business. It keeps telling me that I am a fool and I won't be able to make it.

I realize that I have been giving in to that negative voice all my life. I have been listening to that voice and accepting what it says of me as truth even when the rest of me tell me otherwise. At times I fight back and ignore the negative statements only to fall again under its even stronger onslaught. My self esteem, self confidence, social skills, wit, mind and heart have all been beaten and trodden on by that nagging negative voice that resides oh so comfortably in the deep recesses of my mind. It is amazing that I have not developed into a mental patient with schizophrenia or something like that.

I don't want to feel lousy about myself anymore. I don't want to be ashamed or embarrassed when I tell people about what I do anymore. I hate that nagging voice part of myself. It is like a disease that will infect my entire being till the day I die or go crazy unless I do something to stop it.

I need to learn how to appreciate myself more. To be able to validate my own actions and be happy with it. I need to learn how not to rely entirely on the opinions of others. I need to stop looking for validation from others.

I need to learn how to stand up to the nagging voice inside my head and tell it shut up and go away.

And yet knowing I should do all those things does not help when the strength to do them is not there.

I want to do this but I am afraid. Afraid to fail. Afraid to hear the mocking voice saying 'I told you so'. Afraid that other might laugh at me and say 'that is so typical of you to give up'. I am just afraid.

Those who do support me can only do so much. I will need to be able to overcome myself. And that should prove to be the most difficult challenge I will face in starting my own business. Well actually in anything I choose to do really.

Me. The biggest obstacle that can get in my way of accomplishing anything.