Don’t be your own “crab in your bucket”

Julie Murphy • May 18, 2011

I’ve talked a lot about the people in your life who may be crabs in your bucket. They’ll say certain things that come off as caring but are actually hindering. But maybe the most persistent crab in your bucket is you. Certain fears and insecurities can be so crippling that they handicap us into inaction.

Your own worst enemy

Not many people are open enough to accepting the faults in themselves. Instead of facing their short-comings head-on, people come up with excuses. You’ve heard them. And you’ve probably said a few of them yourself.

“I can’t lose weight because I don’t have time to cook or work out.”

“I can’t go back to school because it’s too expensive.”

“I can’t save more money because I don’t make enough.”

Sometimes, we can be our own worst enemies. We berate ourselves over the tiniest mistakes. Or we just give up on our savings or weight loss goals when we have a bad day. Your thoughts are the foundation of your actions. And with thoughts like the ones above, you’re taking yourself out of the running for living your ideal life.

Don’t be your own crab

I’ve talked a lot about the crabs who are people you know and love. But the ones that are in your head are just as dangerous. Those crabs are the ones that succumb to fear and insecurity. And we feed into them by constantly telling ourselves negative things. Sure, excuses may make us content temporarily. But what they do long-term is feed into our disappointments.

Don’t be your own crab. Don’t allow yourself to remain unmoved as your fear and insecurities grow. Change those negative thoughts to encouraging ones. Do something each day that will get you closer to your goals, and then congratulate yourself when you’re finished. Just as negative thoughts are the basis of destructive behavior, positive thoughts net positive actions.

Those inner crabs will start to quiet even further when you stop spending time with the outer crabs. So make it a point to surround yourself with encouragers: people who see your vision and believe you can make it happen. Maybe this means taking a Pilates class twice a week and going for coffee with your classmates after. Or it could be joining a Meetup group for female entrepreneurs. Positivity and encouragement is one thing, but being around people who are living the life you want influences action more than anything else.

Silencing the inner crabs

It’s never too late to make positive change in your life. Once you recognize what exactly those crabs are, you can then go on the path of climbing out of that bucket. Replace negative thoughts with positive ones, act on your desires and surround yourself with people doing the things that you want to do. With dedication and positive intentions, you can silence those inner crabs.

Tags: Julie Murphy, positive thinking quotes, crabs in your bucket, living your dreams, Chicago personal finance, Chicago financial advisor, emotion behind the money

The post Don’t be your own “crab in your bucket” appeared first on Julie Murphy.

< Older Post

Newer Post >

Share Blog On Social

A woman is smiling while money is falling around her.

A book titled the spiritual laws of money

Get it NOW!

Recent Blogs

The Life You're Waiting For Is Waiting for You to Wake Up

By Julie Murphy • August 4, 2026

What if nothing is wrong with your life? What if the frustration you feel... The anxiety around money... The constant striving... The feeling that something is missing... Isn't a sign that you're failing. What if it's simply your soul trying to wake you up? So many of us spend our lives searching for the next thing we believe will finally make us feel whole. More money. A different relationship. A better job. A healthier body. Another vacation. Another achievement. Another finish line. Yet somehow, after every accomplishment, that feeling quietly returns. "There has to be more than this." And there is. Not because your life is lacking. Because you've been taught to look for fulfillment in places it was never meant to come from. One of the greatest lessons I've learned is that life is always working for us, even when it doesn't feel like it. Every challenge... Every financial struggle... Every relationship... Every fear... Every success... They're all invitations. Not punishments. Invitations to become more aware. Because awareness changes everything. You can't transform a belief you don't know you're carrying. You can't heal a wound you refuse to acknowledge. You can't create a different future while living from yesterday's programming. This is why I don't believe true wealth begins with your bank account. It begins with your awareness. Money simply magnifies the relationship you already have with yourself. If you believe you're not enough... No amount of money will ever feel like enough. If you don't trust yourself... It won't matter how much financial security you create. You'll still feel uncertain. Real wealth isn't something we earn. It's something we uncover. It's been within us all along, buried beneath years of conditioning, fear, expectations, and stories that were never ours to begin with. When we begin clearing away those layers, something beautiful happens. We stop chasing. We start creating. We stop reacting. We begin choosing. We stop living from fear. We begin living from love. That's where abundance begins. Not outside of you. Inside of you. That's why I created the 21-Day Wake Up Wealth Challenge . Not to teach you how to make more money. Not to convince you that positive thinking changes everything. But to give you space. Space to slow down. Space to become aware. Space to notice the patterns you've been living from without even realizing it. Over the course of 21 days, you'll begin seeing yourself differently. You'll explore the beliefs shaping your financial life. You'll reconnect with your intuition. You'll learn how your emotions influence your decisions. Most importantly... You'll begin remembering that you already have everything within you to create a life that feels aligned, peaceful, and abundant. The challenge isn't about becoming someone new. It's about coming home to who you've always been. If your heart has been whispering that it's time for something different... Listen. It may be the beginning of everything. I'd love to walk this journey with you. Because your greatest investment has never been in the stock market. It's always been in yourself. And when you awaken that relationship... Everything else begins to change. With Love, Julie P.S. Sometimes the biggest transformation doesn't happen because life changes around us. It happens because we finally become aware of the life we've been creating, and realize we have the power to create something new. If you're ready, I'd love to have you join us for the 21-Day Wake Up Wealth Challenge.