As a mom/wife/woman, I can be my worst critic. I know there are a thousand things I could be doing better. I go to bed each night thinking of what I should have done and promising myself I will be better tomorrow. It doesn't matter how much I got done during the day, how happy my husband and kids are or what good went on, I always feel I did not do enough.
How do we get ourselves out of the idea of thinking we are not enough? That we are not good enough, not strong enough, not pretty enough? Here are some ideas.
1. Use positive talk
Negativity is very contagious whether it comes in the form of gossip, the news, rumors or even of you talking bad about yourself. It is easy to point out flaws in others and ourselves, but it can be very damaging. Instead of falling into the trap of being negative, learn to be positive. Positive talk is when you spend a certain amount of time just saying positive things. Look in the mirror and point out what you like about yourself. Think about your day and list all the positive things that happened. See the areas in your home that are clean and tidy. If you do this each day, it will become easier. You will learn to see the positive more easily than the negative.
2. Write in a journal and read it often
A wonderful way to express yourself, reflect on your day and record your memories is by writing a journal. You can use an actual journal, a blog, a scrapbook or even a YouTube channel to record your thoughts and feelings. Be creative and find something that works for you. It is always satisfying to reflect on past memories, see how far you have come, look at how much you have grown and discover how much you have accomplished. It is easy to forget these things when you are feeling bad about yourself. So, by recording them, you will have a way to look back on your life to see what an amazing person you actually are.
3. Surround yourself with good people
You should have people in your life who raise you up, people who love you for who you are and who are not trying to change you-people you trust, care about and value. These people will be there for you when you are down. They will be the ones to help you see yourself as they do, someone really great. Make sure you have these people in your life, and find ways to be with them often. If you find you have some toxic relationships in your life, take the courage to end them. They will only tear you down.
4. Live a healthy lifestyle
When you treat your body right, amazing things happen. Exercise and healthy eating are gifts you give yourself. These things affect not only your outer appearance but your inner-health as well. When you are drinking lots of water, eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly, you feel and look better. It is easier to be happy, when you treat yourself right.
5. Love yourself
You spend a lot of time loving everyone around you, but do you love yourself? You try hard to make everyone else happy, but are you making yourself happy? You want to be the best friend possible to others, but are you your own best friend?
Until you can really learn to love yourself, you may find you do not treat yourself very well. You beat yourself up for your mistakes, you tell yourself how ugly you are and you feel like you are not good enough. Would you ever feel that way about someone you love? While we may not be exactly where we want to be in every aspect of our lives, there are plenty of things we are pretty darn good at; loving yourself is being able to see that.
6. Accept your flaws
Flaws are things you believe are mistakes in your body or personality, but they are things you really cannot change. No matter how much you want to be taller, you honestly cannot make yourself grow. No matter how much you wish you weren't so clumsy, it may be something you will never overcome.
It is okay to have flaws. We all have them. Learn to love them. Learn to understand how they work, how they affect your life and how to live with them. The sooner you embrace them, the sooner you can learn to use them to your benefit. Flaws are different than bad habits. Bad habits can be changed. It may take years or even a lifetime to change some bad habits, but they can be worked on.
When we are surrounded by a world of negativity that constantly reminds us of what we don't have and what we should be doing, it can be hard to be happy with who we are now. Learning to love yourself, being positive and accepting your flaws are steps in the right direction to realizing you are enough. You are strong, beautiful and kind, just the way you are. That is the message we should be telling ourselves each night.
