What do you say?

I have started to read “ Self Talk, Soul Talk” by Jennifer Rothschild.  It’s a book about how we talk to ourselves each day and the things that we are saying. Jennifer says that “some psychologists and neuroscientists have concluded that everybody maintains  a continuous, ongoing silent dialogue, or stream of self talk, of between 150 and 300 words a minute.” I immediately thought, “there is no way I talk to myself that much”. She goes on to say that most of these thoughts are usually harmless or neutral like “where did I put my keys” or “I need to go to the cleaners today”. And then I thought for a second, okay I do that. I need to do laundry today because if I wait any longer it is going to get out of control! Did I tell Mike I loved him before I left for work this morning?

So I do talk to myself…a lot, all day long. But these aren’t things that we need to be concerned about. The things we need to realize that we are saying to ourselves are the things that build us up or break ourselves down.

I then realize all of the doubt that I have placed in my soul about my self-image recently. And now that I have a job that requires me to go up to people that I have never met before and introduce myself, it has caused me to really analyze myself in front of the mirror everyday before work. Ugh, your hair is so frizzy today, ew. Or Yikes! I didn’t put enough make-up on, I can’t talk to people today.

Then there are mornings where I am standing strong in front of the mirror and decide to go to work without any make up on. God thinks I am beautiful just the way I am, and so should I. I jump in the car and I am off to work singing Bruno Mars…

“When I see your face, 
There's not a thing that I would change,

Cause you're amazing, 

Just the way you are”  

Then I look in my rear view mirror and scream, What was I thinking?! Bruno Mars is NOT talking about a girl with no make-up on. I reach into my purse and begin to put on my make-up. Well that was a noble attempt.

My point is that we sometimes tear ourselves down, thinking that we need to be something better than what we are. That we need to have the right “look” or the right clothes.  I don’t know about you, but that is a lie that I tell myself almost every day.

So here is my prayer lately,

God, please help me to see myself the way you see me, to know that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. To help me to remember that beauty is not what this world says it is. God help me to speak truth to myself everyday and not fill my mind with lies. To know that I am beautiful just the way I am.

What do you tell yourself everyday?

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” (Psalm 139:13-14)