How I speak to myself is related to what I believe about myself.
I’ve been pondering a lot lately what’s in my thought box. I grew up with critical parents, they didn’t criticize me with harsh words or name calling but I rarely found myself doing things as they wanted them done. I don’t think they tried to be critical but in their minds they wanted me to do things with excellence and they also wanted me to work at my potential but as a child the message was interpreted very differently.
Maybe one day I’ll sit down and share my story with you. I do want to but to write a post like this but it feels like it would take an eternity to go through my thoughts, emotions and then articulate them in such a way that it’s encouraging. But for now I’ll leave you with this.
As a counselor, I find myself helping beautiful people try to uncover the beauty that they have buried in the pile of ugly messages like: idiot, ugly, wretched, fat-so, worthless, stupid, freak…. But not only do we speak and think these things about ourselves but it’s also closely interwoven to what we think about others and I how we speak to them.
As you go throughout your day think —
Are my words gracious and truthful to my kids?
Are my words gracious and truthful when I speak to myself or about myself?
Are my words gracious and truthful when I speak to my husband?
Are my words gracious and truthful when I speak to my friends and family?