Good Morning and Happy Monday!

I took a long walk with a treasured friend this weekend. It was such a beautiful day! We decided to slow the pace of life down and simply enjoy time together. We determined that we were worth the effort.

As we strolled through quiet neighborhoods chatting about a variety of topics, I couldn’t help but wonder about all the quiet walks I’ve missed due to the perceived importance of other things and other people. You see, I’ve gotten into the habit of placing myself lower on the list of priorities.

I realized I’d spent many years prioritizing others while sacrificing my image of self, preferring others’ needs and valuations to a personal sense of who I am. The practice wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, and I’m all about the joy of serving others. But when it gets to the point of reimagining how I engage in self-care and set good boundaries for rest and inspiration, it’s just not the most excellent way to transparent self-appreciation and improvement.

Then I ran across this thought:

It's not who you are that holds you back... | Words, Inspirational quotes, Travel quotes

I know who I am (nurturing, creative, understanding, supportive) on my best days. The question became more about who I think I’m not (important, deserving, contributing, unique) and why those thoughts take precedence over the positive qualities. The reality being, these negative thought processes hold me back from being my best self. I wonder if you can relate.

Others have shared similar sentiments. For example, Ralph Waldo Emerson is credited with, “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared with what lies within us.” Maya Angelou shared, “The real difficulty is to overcome how you think about yourself.” And, Wayne Dyer wrote, “Self-worth comes from one thing ~ thinking that you are worthy.”

Consider this: is who you think you are and how you esteem yourself lower than what you so generously and freely appreciate in others. If your answer is yes, there’s a good possibility that it’s time for intentional reflection and an earnest assessment of who you think you are and who you think you are not. Maxwell Maltz, an American surgeon and pioneer in psycho-cybernetics, noted that “Low self-esteem is like driving through life with your hand-break on.” How’s that for a picture of what not to do!

Scripture reminds us of who we are:

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful. I know that very well.” Psalm 139:13-14 (NIV)

“But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Luke 12:7 (NKJV)

This week, try to hold onto three essential concepts as you think about who you are and who you are not. 1) Be gentle with yourself because you’re doing the best you can. 2) Talk to yourself with love and the highest regard, as if you’re talking with someone you cherish. 3) How you treat yourself is the way you model to others how you’d like to be treated.

I’ll leave you with the thought,

“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” Buddha

Have a fantastic week!

Be Well & Be Blessed!
Lucinda