Monthly Musing – February 2024 – Home or away?

“Who’s in your head, the home or the away crowd?”

I was driving to Birmingham, listening to a podcast about self-talk.  Usually, I sing at top volume when I’m alone in the car, but an email had arrived about the podcast episode and curious, I decided to listen on the journey.

The speaker spoke first about the critical voice that so many of us have in our heads.  I used to hear that voice – the one that tells you that you’d look so much better in a different outfit, or you look like you didn’t get much sleep – but I learnt to ignore it many years ago and now I don’t hear it at all.  It wasn’t easy, but it was worth the effort!

“But what about other times in your day?” asked the speaker.  “What about when you’re working on something, or you’ve achieved something?  Who do you hear in your head, the home crowd cheering you on or the away crowd booing, telling you that there’s no point in making much effort because it’ll be no good anyway?”

This made me sit up straighter because I don’t hear any crowd in my head – admittedly, that’s probably better than hearing booing crowds, but why shouldn’t we celebrate ourselves for the things that we do?  Why shouldn’t we congratulate ourselves for getting up in the morning, or doing the vacuuming, or going to work, or for anything at all really?  Maybe it’s because I’m British (“We just don’t do that kind of thing”) or because nobody has ever suggested it, or because it is just plain crazy – but isn’t it nice to be told you’ve done a good job every now and again, even by yourself?

And sometimes, it’s OK to embrace the crazy.  I much prefer hearing my inner voice say, “Oh, good choice with that outfit!” when I look in the mirror rather than, “You look terrible today!”, so perhaps it’s time to welcome the home crowd into my head and accept all the support I can get.

By the time the podcast had finished and I’d arrived at my destination, I was convinced.  I stepped out of the car after the long journey – and I heard the home crowd ROAR!

Source: PA via www.telegraph.co.uk