Don't you DARE talk to me that way!

I was tooling around on Pinterest the other day, and I saw this picture:



The trueness in this statement stopped me dead in my tracks.

I thought back to all the things I had said to myself that day, not just in regards to my body, but to my own thoughts, my ideas, my clothing selection, my parenting, even my food choices.

I found that more often than not, my thoughts sounded like this:

"That is a dumb idea"

"You can't wear that, you are to fat"

"Sometimes you are such an idiot"

"Don't eat that, little piggy"

I would NEVER EVER say those things to a friend, a loved one, not even a stranger. I focus my life around the concept of lovingkindness, accepting people for where they are at, just as they are, being kind in thought and deed and so...

Why on earth would I EVER EVER EVER talk that way to myself?

I was appalled at the cruelty in which I speak to myself on a regular basis.

How could I DARE talk to myself that way?

I dare to talk that way to myself, because I was not monitoring my thoughts. I didn't treat myself as I would a friend. When I hear a friend say something cruel about herself, I have no problem saying to her "Don't you dare talk to my friend that way." Which is a funny way to snap someone out of their own negative self talk. But I was not doing that for myself.

I do now.

I had forgotten that I am someone's bestie, someone's beloved, someone's MAMA, and I want to be gentle with that girl. I want to love her and hold her hand and nurture her to be her best self. I think about my daughter, who is 13, and I am enraged when I think of anyone talking to her that way. I want to be shocked when I talk to myself that way, and immediately correct myself.

Here is how I am going to do it, research says it takes 21 days to pick up a new habit. I am going to start the habit of talking nice to myself. As Thumper's mom says "If you can't say nothing nice, don't say anything at all." Well, I am modifying that, to be "If you can't say nothing nice to yourself, say something loving!"

Today, I am going to write myself a love letter in the form of 5 index cards. I am going to write 5 true amazing things about myself on them and put them up where I see them every day.

I challenge you to do the same thing. If you cannot think of 5 amazing things about yourself, go ask your bestie, ask your sister or brother, ask your mom or dad, your aunt, your uncle, your kids...anyone who loves you dearly.

Keep them up for 21 days, read them out loud to yourself every day for 21 days.

Monitor your thoughts, when you hear yourself saying you are dumb, unworthy, unloveable...

STOP!

Don't you DARE talk to yourself that way!

Replace the negative talk with your 5 amazing things. Be vigilant. You are an important and amazing soul and you are cherished. Treat yourself as you would your best friend.

There are a million wonderful things about you and we are going to start saying them and reminding ourselves of how amazing we are. Starting with 5.

My 5:

I am an amazing mama.

I am a good writer.

I have a great laugh.

I am creative and resourceful.

I am one smart cookie!

I want to know your 5. Tell me what they are. Let's start talking ourselves up instead of selling ourselves short.

Bragging on my own self,

Gabbi