Self Talk During This Strange Time

Everything we do, think and say determines the person we are becoming. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the kind of person I would like to be for my daughter. Ive started to catch myself when I begin to compare, when I feel left out, when I notice the time I’m spending on my phone negatively impacting my mood, when I try to convince myself I’m not enough. Yes, I still regularly fight with my shadows, but I’m much more aware of them. I do my best to keep them where I can see them.

I recently heard of a Carl Jung quote that says: “Keep your shadows in front of you—they can only take you down from behind.”

Self talk affects every aspect of our lives, with our thoughts either working for or against us. It is our thoughts and words that are creating our future experiences. I want Saya to learn early on that her inner dialogue will project her external realities. She watches me so closely I know she is forming a massive part of her understanding of the world through me. She may not hear my thoughts but she witnesses the fluctuations of my emotions.

In an attempt to be more accountable for my life, I’ve started to question the validity of my thoughts – and if they are not helping me in any way, I challenge myself to turn them around. If we don’t change the way we think, our lives won’t change and self criticism will merely reinforce the very thought patterns we want to change.

When we can align our thoughts, words and actions with purpose our life can go wherever we choose to take it. I want Saya to live with purpose. To live on her own terms. To know her hands are on the steering wheel. She’s in control.