Do you ever look in the mirror and wonder who it is that is looking back at you? Or do you ever think you appear one way, but others tell you they think something that is completely the opposite? Do you hear voices in your head (and no, I do not mean literally, and am not talking about the very serious mental health issue of psychosis), but rather a constant negative message that plays over and over again that tries to tell you who you are? You might not even be aware of how ingrained this is in you. It can grab a hold of your body, mind, and soul and tell you lies about who you really are. Perhaps your negative self-talk is telling you who you are more then you realize. Maybe you are not living out your authentic you; your true self. Your true self is about always staying focused on your “True North.” Before GPS (Anyone remember that), sailors had to navigate where they were going by the stars, always knowing where they were by focusing on the North Star. If you can figure out your North Star, then nothing can ever steer you off course. There will never be a storm, a wave, a hurricane (as life often throws at us), that will throw you off your true course.
Negative self-talk is one of those things that tries to veer us off our true path of self. It is the message that intrusively pops into your head and tells you something about yourself. You may hear it like a loud scream or a constant distant whisper, but it is always there to tell you who you are, or who you are not. Perhaps your message sounds like “you are not good enough, be perfect, you don’t measure up, you must be better, you should…should not…have to…must.” This language is often stress-filled and pressure-inducing. It keeps you from seeing the truth of who you really are…that you are more than good enough, that there is no such thing as being perfect, that should, must, and have-to language can be replaced with “I am doing the best I can in the moment I am in with what I have before me right now.”
Learning to identify the lies that speak to you, the truth of your true self, and how to live out your “North Star” can help you know who you really are, love that person, and live an authentic, whole life.
To learn more attend my upcoming seminar on Identity or call to schedule a counseling appointment now.
