Talking To Yourself

I've been reading a little book called, "What to Say When You talk to Yourself" by Shad Helmstetter. In this book he talks about how our subconscious mind is like a computer, it has a program in it that tells it what to do. That program is wrote by us. We are the ultimate authors of what our subconscious mind thinks about and ultimately this is what we are telling ourselves throughout the day. We can write in good things to tell ourselves like, "I am so smart. I excel at math." Or we can write in bad things, "I am such an idiot. I can't ever do anything right!" It can also be programmed by what we believe others think of us, "Candace, you are such a mess. You're room is a mess, you never can keep it clean." What our subconscious mind starts to believe is that I am a mess and I will never be able to keep my room clean. These words are so powerful and they can steer our lives in so many different directions. Did you ever hear from someone when you were young that you didn't have any rhythm, even though you desperately wanted to play guitar, you gave it up because you believed those words? These words are able to change the course of our lives if we choose to believe them.

In the book, the author talks about getting rid of that old program of thinking. He goes into visualizing that you are taking those words and physically giving them back to whomever gave them to you. Whether it be your parents, siblings, teachers, friends or bosses. I even like to envision that these are lies of the enemy as well. He's the author of lies and confusion and would want nothing more then to let us continue on a destructive path because we have chosen to believe what he says about us over what God says about us.

After you give away those lies, you have to replace it with the words that will edify you, lift you up and lead you on the path will give you abundant life. This book isn't exactly a Christian book, so I took it into my own hands to look up what God says about me to rewrite my subconscious program. I was thinking that I can think all day on good positive thoughts that will help to change my program, but why not look up what God says about me, because His plan is way better than whatever I could come up with.

Here's just a few that I wrote down and even voice recorded them on my phone so I can listen to them when I'm getting ready in the morning (I did change the wording to read in "first person":

• I follow the example of the Lord, who is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and plenteous in mercy and loving-kindness. Psalm 103:8
• I speak soft answers that turn away wrath, not grievous words that stir up anger. Proverbs 15:1
• Now I must get rid of all these things: anger, passion and hateful things. No insults or obscene talk must ever come from my lips. Colossians 3:8
• I am strong, courageous and firm; I fear not and am not in terror; for it is the Lord my God who goes with me; He will not fail me or forsake me. Deuteronomy 31:6 

These powerful words from the Bible are able to change things in a person's life if we can believe them. It takes diligence, time and intentionality to change someone's beliefs that will change habits, that will change lives. I'm also more aware of how I talk to my kids. Instead of saying something like, "Sheridan, why are you always fighting with your sister?" I could say, "Sheridan I know that you love your sister and that you can be very kind to her. She loves to learn from you and play with you." It's amazing how her countenance changes when she's being shown who she really is and not getting the negative words spoken over her. I'm challenging myself to really be intentional with calling out the good in my kids instead of the negative. Yes, I will still discipline them and they will know that they've made a wrong decision, but their wrong decisions are just that, decisions. It's not who they are!

God has made us as His own special people. He has great and amazing plans to prosper us and give us an abundant life. We have to believe and take Him at His Word that He has only good plans for us and not to devalue ourselves by believing what the enemy or other people have to say about us.

I pray that we can all come to this knowledge!

Here's to an amazing journey of knowing more of God everyday and remember that we are created in His image!

Candace