Sunshine on Cloudy Days
I want to shed some light on something that I am certain everyone has struggled with before, and that’s self-talk.
First, what is self-talk? It’s something we do every day, every hour, maybe even every minute. It’s that voice in your head either beating yourself up or pushing you to do your best.
Second, let’s take a step back and ask ourselves, “Is self-talk an important thing to practice?”
I would say yes. Especially positive self-talk. We are growing up in a world where people do not want to be left alone with their own thoughts for more than like 30 seconds. Take a look around you the next time you are in a public place. Sure there are people talking to each other, but I can bet that the majority are on their phones. It almost feels weird to be waiting at a bus stop or in line at a grocery store and not have your finger scrolling on your phone. Why is that? I think it’s because we want our mind distracted so we do not hear that internal conversation in our head. It can be painful to assess your feelings so suppressing your thoughts with entertainment seems less difficult.
Philippians 4:8
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Third, when we do not practice self-awareness and intentional positivity, our minds are left with thoughts of negativity, doubt, and discouragement. Why?
“Because the negative thoughts seem to come faster and easier on our bad days when we don’t feel like being a ray of sunshine.”
Maybe you have developed a habit of telling yourself “Wow, that was stupid, why did I do that?” so many times in the past, that now, it is just a regular reaction when you make a mistake. Those are NOT thoughts planted by God. You can choose to redirect those negative thoughts. You have power over your thoughts. They are YOUR thoughts. Those thoughts can influence how you make decisions, wake up in the morning, speak to others, and essentially, live your life. SOAK your thoughts in Scripture and words from God. If your mind has absorbed the goodness of God’s word, there is no more room for a negative, hateful, or discouraging self-talk.
Proverbs 4:23 “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
Here are some examples of positive self-talk:
I have the power to change my thoughts.
I have seen God there for me in the past, He would not leave me now.
I do not have to be good at everything.
God made my body capable and I want to get healthier to honor that.
It took courage to do that, and I am proud of myself for trying.
Look how far you have come.
God gave me these talents and I am unique to Him.
I have a long way left to go, but at least I started and am here now.
I do not need to put the blame on myself for this situation.
Even though that did not go as planned, I learned something about myself.
Am I using the gifts God gave me?
When I get through this, I will feel empowered.
God is always faithful.
Tomorrow is a chance to try again and apply the lessons I learned today.
I cannot control what other people think, say, or do.
Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Now, notice that positive self-talk is not unrealistic optimism. It is acknowledging when you make a mistake and moving on from it in an encouraging way. Make sure the positive self-talk feels true to you, and not forced or fake. Also, if you struggle with negative self-talk consistently please reach out to a pastor, therapist, or other professional to support you. On those cloudy days when you are not feeling like being positive, work on absorbing those Scripture verses. Soak up those rays of sunshine from the Lord and rely on those when the days get cloudy.
What is a change you could make right now in how you talk to yourself?
