Reflection

Positive self talk. I ams. Changing the mindset.

They are all so important to life. To living life. To living well!

I have barely blogged this year. Every time I open up to start writing, I’m blank and I close it back up. This morning was no exception and I almost did the same thing… and then I remembered.

This isn’t how I blog. From the very beginning, I never knew what to blog. I would open it up – open up photo albums, look at pictures and the words would come. They would flow. From God. Blogging was an exercise in trust for me.

Look at pictures. Listen for the words. Write.

Which is one reason it’s hard for me to accept compliments on my writing – I feel like it doesn’t really come from me!

When did I forget this is how I blog? At what point did I forget that this was a way to share what God has to say, not just what I want to talk about?

Nevertheless, Here we are – God and me – back to what I’m meant to do. 🙂

So this morning, instead of closing and after realizing what I needed to do, I opened up a blank blog post – looked up January photo album and in the second row – there it was. And the words started coming.

I LOVE this elephant picture. I love elephants anyway and the reflection in this picture, the framing, the colors – I love it!

But the word reflection is what came to me. What do we see when we look at our reflection? What is our self talk like when we see ourselves in the mirror? Are we willing to even look at ourselves?

If I’m being honest with myself, I’ve completely slacked with positive self talk and I ams in the past several months. And if I’m not being proactive about how I speak to myself, old habits creep back in and the negative self talk over takes me.

“You’re not worthy. You’re ugly. You’re fat. No one actually likes you. You don’t belong anywhere. You don’t have any true friends. You think those are your friends? They will abandon you. They don’t really care. You are a bad mom. You are failing at life.”

Ugh.

The ugliness.

Can you relate?

You probably can. Unfortunately.

But.. would you ever in a million years speak to anyone else that way?

I know I would not! Not only would I never speak to someone that way, I don’t even THINK that way about anyone else. When I look at others, I see beauty, grace, potential, strength, loyalty, and courage. I think of how everyone has a story and what they have overcome. I think… they don’t see themselves clearly, let me speak words of truth into them.

But for me? I am the worst bully of all. And I even tell myself – I’m not a bully, this is just the truth.

Oh, but it’s not. Lies, lies, lies. If the enemy can get us believing we are not worthy, unloveable, and undesirable, and any of the other ugly things that get whispered to us, he WINS.

I don’t want him to win.

How do we fight it? We must change our negative talk to positive. Whether we believe it or not. Whether it feels natural or not. Whether it makes sense or not. We must change the way we speak to ourselves.

Which brings me back to the word reflection and a challenge for you. Yes, you.

From now on, when you look at yourself in the mirror – I want you to talk to yourself the way you would talk to your daughter or son, to a small child. Imagine the pure innocence of a baby and all the amazing things you want for her or him and all the love you pour into that child… and turn it on you.

“Self, you are so beautiful. I love you! You are strong and powerful and oh so brave. You have overcome so much and look at where you are! Yes, You! The gorgeous girl looking back at me from the mirror – YOU are so worthy, so loved, and so so desirable. You have so much to offer, so much to give to this world. I love you.”

Then, go on your day.

Until you meet again – in the mirror – then wash, rinse, repeat.

Do it again.

And again.

And again.

Every time you meet yourself in the reflection (and don’t you go avoiding mirrors now) speak to yourself with love the way you would to small child just starting out in this beautiful world.

Speak truth to yourself, speak lovingly to yourself, speak worth and beauty into yourself.

Do it all throughout the day and watch your world change.

Happy Wednesday, friends.