being a mom helps with self talk. . .

Self-talk is such a hard topic to narrow down to one blog post, but it is something very much worth writing about. I think as women we struggle with self-talk and we need to address it as such. I struggle with negative self talk as much as the next person, like right now I catch myself thinking I am not qualified to be writing this post. If I kept thinking that over and over I could eventually talk myself into not posting. I may not be an expert on self talk, but the truth is since I am a child of God, desiring to be an intentional women who wants to encourage other woman to pursue what is best, then am I not as qualified as the next person? I need to be constantly aware of the lies I tell myself. What is Satan keeping you from doing today because he has “talked” you out of it?

What I am most surprised about with self-talk is how it just creeps up on you. The verse Philippians 4:8 is posted in my home, and it is a good reminder of what I should be focused on. Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, praiseworthy THINK about such things. Yes, this is a tall order, but if I spend my time focused on those things would my self-talk be rooted in the Truths of God’s Word or in those things of this world? I know that I cannot do this in and of myself. I am as busy as the next woman and get pulled in every different direction, but I think being an intentional woman involves consistently being aware of our self-talk. We need to be plugged into the Truth of God’s Word. We need to be armed with the Truth so that when the lies are identified in our self-talk we can combat them with that Truth.

One thing I’ve realized lately is that as a mother of two young girls I am very aware of what they are putting into their minds. I watch very closely what they watch on TV or video, what they listen to, what they play on the computer, what they read. . .the list goes on. As a mother I desire for my children to not be exposed to those things in life that they are not ready for or should never be putting into their minds. Shouldn’t I be as concerned about what I put into my mind and what I choose to tell myself? I marvel at God’s design. How He uses those things in my everyday life to continually draw me back to Him-if I will only take the time to pause and listen.

I encourage you today to stop and really think about what you are telling yourself. Are you telling yourself Truth? Are you looking at yourself through God’s eyes or are you busy telling yourself the lies of this world-you’re not good enough. . .your not pretty enough. . .fill your mind with the Truth. God made you just the way you are for a purpose. No one else can fulfill that purpose but you!

Become a Student of What You Think

So how is your mind today? Have you been tracking your thoughts? Your self talk?

If you have given it some attention, you will notice that the health of your body does indeed affect your mental state and that is why it is so important for a woman to take care of herself in all areas of life.

That is easier said than done if you are a young mom with dependent kids who demand your attention all day long. But even a busy young mom can become a student of all that she thinks.

The words we mutter to ourselves have great impact. Our 'soundless thoughts' have the power to encourage or discourage us. They can motivate or deflate us. They can speak joy into our lives or take us on a downhill spiral.

"It is not enough to have a good mind. The main thing is to use it well." (Rene Descartes)

This subject is much bigger than a few blog postings can handle, but it's like all the other topics we touch upon, I hope it will begin to make you mindful of how you are using your mind.

A big breakthrough for me as I tried to discipline my thoughts and my self talk was to express my thoughts as silent prayers. When I worry, I pray...and then I follow it up with a prayer of thanksgiving. Seeing self-talk as a constant stream of prayer keeps my mind set on things above. Easy to do? Not in my own power it isn't. Only the Holy Spirit can keep me in prayer.

I've also found that if I discipline my mouth along with my thoughts, I speak what I seek rather than what I am afraid will happen.

Trying to be productive with my self talk and thoughts is better than wallowing in fear and
worry.

Who I spend time with also reinforces my positive or negative thinking. I have found that my negative self talk increases when I hang out with negative people.

Self talk is like every habit we talk about in Homemakers, it's the progress we are making that counts...not perfection...that we can't achieve anyway!

What's on Your Mind?

"Nurture great thoughts, for you will never go higher than your thoughts." That's a quote from Benjamin Disraeli


Have you ever been asked 'How is your mind today"? That's probably just as important as asking a friend how she is feeling. A healthy mind produces joy, like a healthy body produces energy.

A healthy mind is important for a woman who wants to be intentional because it's the mind that will keep her attention on her intention!

Becoming highly sensitive to what you think about most often is the quickest way to build intentionality into your life.

Last year, in Homemakers with Hope we focused on 'Self Talk'. There is so much we discussed, but this week we will give you a few things to think about as we review what we learned.

"Approximately 90% of today's thoughts are repeats from yesterday and the day before", according to Tommy Newberry, author and speaker.
With that in mind, it is a major undertaking to change up our thought-life. The time to really concentrate on your own thought life is before your kids start talking! Their thoughts only add to the mix and then you really have a full tank.

Newberry says that 'what you persistently think eventually but inevitably crystallizes into the words you speak and then the things you do".

That's what Luke 6:45 says "The good woman brings good things out of the good stored up in her heart, and the evil woman brings evil things out of the evil stored up in her heart. For out of the overflow of her heart her mouth speaks." (I changed the pronoun to a woman)

As women, we have control over our thoughts. Learning to focus on our thoughts and have authority over our self-talk is an exercise that we never out-grow.

Newberry goes so far to say that "you are writing your own life story with each subtle and soundless thought you think." I like the vision that 'soundless' brings to mind...a soundless thought can have such impact.

This week consider what is on your mind as we share briefly about our thought life and self-talk.