Anyone else their own worst critic? 🙋♀️ For a long time, “no” was the default answer I gave myself. No, you cannot splurge on that dress. No, you don’t deserve that cookie. No, traveling solo is lonely.🙅♀️ “Wait” echoed around me. But wait for what? Why did I always tell myself no when deep down I wanted to say yes? The simplest answer is: I was afraid of failing. Failure is this self-critical diva’s biggest nightmare. (Followed closely by being swarmed by birds. NO THANKS! 😂) I structured my life around perfection. I only took calculated risks that were effectively foolproof by the time I over-analyzed them in my head. The funny thing is, I didn’t strive for perfection for myself. I aimed to be flawless because it would please those around me. Failure meant that I was letting them down and it was selfish for me to put my own needs first. Or so I was brainwashed to believe. 🥴 After finally breaking it off with my people-pleasing tendencies, I went full-throttle on my daydream to travel the world. It started with dumping a guy who conditioned me to hate myself and belittled me. After losing that 180+ pounds of baggage, I saw all the glimmering possibilities. 🤩 I didn’t have to say yes to what others wanted. Instead, I offered them the answer I always gave myself -- no. I prioritized my own needs and happiness. I established boundaries. “No” was no longer an acceptable answer for my daydreams and neither was wait. Travel was my biggest daydream and it was time that I chased it. 🤸♀️ When I boarded the plane for my first solo flight, I assumed that failure would greet me at the gate. Something catastrophic would derail any chance I had at enjoying solo travel. I braced myself for the worst. Funnily enough, it never happened. Looking back, it’s stupefying how much animosity I tolerated. 🥺 Now, with each solo trip, layers of harbored contempt slowly slip away. This is why I cherish solo travel so much; it reminds me that investing in my happiness and daydreams is invaluable. 🥰 No amount of self-criticism or negativity is going to ground these travel plans any longer. . . . . . . #puertorico_world #puertoricogram #puertorico_greatshots (at Puerto Rico) https://www.instagram.com/p/CAtOLUNAujx/?igshid=1ww5jhkkm67ic
