Fall is my favorite season. Leaves are falling off, the weather is cooling down and the candles, blankets, and hot tea come out. It is a great time for self-reflection.
For years I’ve had a morning confession that helps me change my negative self-talk. All of us have it. Those voices in our heads. That tape that plays your mistakes and failures. Our self-perception can be one of our biggest hurdles. How we see ourselves impacts all of our interactions. If you cannot overcome negative self-perception you will find yourself settling for things and people that feed the negativity.
We all need to do the work of overcoming negative self-perceptions. Self-talk, positive confessions, surrounding yourself with people who build you up are a few ways to do so. Professional and pastoral counseling are also ways to overcome these perceptions. A good check-in question is: “What do I feel about myself today? in this situation? in this relationship?” Honestly, sometimes your answer will surprise you. I’m surprised to hear other people’s opinion coming out of my head. Never discount the influence of other people’s voice. Be vigilant. Negativity breeds negativity.
As fall arrives, allow the trees to model for you how beautiful it is to let go of negative self-perception.
