That was stupid. I can’t do that. I am undeserving. I’m too old, too young, too skinny, too fat, too tall, or too short. Do any of these comments sound familiar to you? I bet you have said these to yourself in the past or possibly still do. The list is endless of negative self talk. However, it’s just as endless for positive self talk – you choose what to affirm whether positive of negative.

Now let’s wipe off the ick from those statements and ask yourself if you would say any of those comments to your best friend? The answer is NO. You would realize these statements would just perpetuate their negative self talk. You would choose affirmative comments and help make them feel better because they are YOUR best friend.

How about being your own best friend and catching your own negative self talk and turning it around to be supportive and loving? Rather than talking yourself down, talk yourself up. Rather than giving yourself a hard time, be gentle with yourself. Talk to yourself about solutions rather than problems. Talk to yourself about blessings rather than hardships. Talk to yourself about gratitude rather than lack.

Quotes of the week:

“If you make friends with yourself you will never be alone.” ~ Maxwell Maltz

“A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked.” ~ Bernard Meltzer

“Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends with them?” ~ Abraham Lincoln

“Silence is the true friend that never betrays.” Confucius

Music for your Soul:

You’ve Got a Friend by:

Carole King

James Taylor

Carole, Gloria, Celine, Shania

Patti LaBelle

For the next week I invite you to be your own best friend by:
 
Giving yourself five compliments each day. If you are struggling to come up with five compliments, think of things you say to your friends. Or think of things friends say to you and repeat them to yourself.
 
Treating yourself the way you treat your best friend going through a challenging time by being gentle, loving, and supportive.
 
Motivating yourself with excitement and eagerness to start whatever it is you’ve been putting off and beating yourself up about.
 
Laughing at yourself several times a day just the way you laugh with your friends.
 
Mostly, I invite you to truly think of yourself as your own best friend. Be your biggest cheerleader rather than heckler. Be pro you rather than anti self. Be hopeful rather than worried. Anytime you start the negative self talk, ask yourself, would you say that to your best friend? And I bet the answer is – NO!
 
Until next week, my intention for you is to have a week full of amazing friendships, and that starts from within.
~Carol