If you wouldn’t say it to someone else, don’t say it to yourself. Self-bullying is still bullying.
– StandUpToYourself.com​

October is anti-bullying month in the US. And one thing I know for sure as Certified Dare To Lead™ Facilitator, is that bullying is highly correlated with shame.

One of the most courageous leaders of my lifetime to rise strong, own her story and defy the ending is Monica Lewinsky. Over the past decade, she has become a strong advocate of anti-bullying and she’s just released a powerful new campaign with a focus on self-bullying and shame-based self-talk.

Monica has produced a short film (2mins) that features a range of diverse people reading out aloud to a loved one their negative self-talk. I dare you to watch it without getting a little weepy.

 

“This PSA aims to reshape how we think about negative self-talk by recognizing that the biggest bully we may know is sadly the one in our head.” – Monica Lewinsky

The accompanying website, StandUpToYourself.com provides accessible tools to help acknowledge and turn down the volume of our inner bullies, many of which we covered in exploring shame and self-compassion during the Dare To Lead™ program:

  • Awareness – mindfully noticing negative thoughts about yourself
  • Label how you’re feeling – practising emotional granularity
  • Practice soothing self-talk – talk to yourself like someone you love
  • Reframe emotion with logic
  • Practice gratitude
  • Be kind to yourself and the younger version of yourself
  • Reach out for help

Hear Monica talk about the making of the film here.

Sometimes we need the support of a helping professional to stand up to ourselves. There is a wide range of services available to reach out to, no matter where you find yourself. Start here.