When your self-image or beliefs are challenged, how do you respond?

When your self-image or beliefs are challenged, respond with a combination of self-awareness, reflection, and open-mindedness. Stay calm, listen actively, ask questions, reflect on other's perspective, examine your beliefs or self-image critically, seek additional information, consult trusted advisors, express your perspective, agree to disagree, embrace the idea that your beliefs can evolve, practice Self-Compassion and take time to Decide. Challenges to your self-image or beliefs are a natural part of personal growth and development. It provides an opportunity to deepen your understanding of yourself and the world around you. Having an open mind, willingness to learn, and a commitment to staying true to your core values when appropriate.

Our world has been designed to trigger us. We move at such a fast pace, you are going to be triggered. Recognize that when you are triggered, your nervous system steps in. Whatever your go to response is (flight, fight, freeze), will be activated. You then loose a level of awareness and engagement by being in your response. Here are 3 top suggestions: 1. Know the root cause of your response - this will help in the moment to recognize the trigger. 2. Breath - 4 seconds breath in slowly, hold for 4 seconds, 4 seconds breath out slowly - the breath will calm your nervous system. 3. Bring your awareness to your state of being. How are you feeling internally? Reframe the thoughts that contribute to the trigger. Stay in the moment.

Remind yourself, people speak from their own perspective, their own experience. Do your best to refrain from matching the tone of the challenge in the moment. Practice observing instead. Pay attention to the words being used and how they are landing on you. Are emotions triggered? Is your mind wondering to a past experience? Do you want to disappear in this uncomfortable moment? Whatever you are feeling, make a mental note. Pausing will allow you to put the pieces together and deepen your inner truth. In this moment you get to place the validity of the interaction. Our emotions can be triggered for more than one reason. We may need to heal a wound, or examine our beliefs and values. The response is your responsibility.

In order to listen and empathize, we first have to release those unprocessed pockets of emotions first. One of the best tools to do that is EFT tapping.

A question that always works is asking “how is this happening for me and what am I learning” instead of “why is this happening to me”

One thing I think would help you respond much better when your self image and beliefs are being challenged is a strong sense of self. A strong sense of sense enables you to respond with grace and dignity, because you are certain of who you are, you are certain of your convictions | beliefs and you are not moved by critics. It’s okay to assimilate useful input & contributions. But no one knows you like you do. Plus you can only know what is useful for you when you’ve rightly defined what usefulness is to you. Reasons why it’s important to invest quality time in knowing yourself. Only then can you respond to critics gracefully and be able to appreciate useful critic.