What if you had to place a penny in a jar for every negative thought you’ve had about yourself, someone else, or a particular situation?  How much money would be in your jar?  I could probably fund a small vacation or depending on when I started, I could probably fund two.

I’ve been guilty of telling myself: I’m not good enough, smart enough, cool enough, cute enough, fit enough, bold enough, strong enough, light enough, you name it and I’ve probably accused myself of it.  I’ve lived with self-criticism, doubt, insecurities, shame and guilt for a large portion of my life. I could attribute a lot of my negative thoughts to some of my life’s experiences, however, I couldn’t blame “LIFE” forever. It wasn’t until I was tired of feeling lonely,  although I was surrounded by family and friends,  incapable, tired, rejected and defeated that I began to see the crime I was committing against myself.  If this crime against myself carried a charge, I would spend the rest of my life within a maximum-security prison. The worst part is,  these wounds were self inflicted. Most people around me had no idea of how I felt, as I had gotten very skilled at masking my feelings.

Eventually, the negativity became overwhelming and I realized I could no longer hide it. It began to show in my attitude, facial expressions, the way I dressed, my energy levels and I became anxious. My mindset was keeping me from maximizing my full potential, enjoying relationships, and living my “Authentic” life. I HAD to do something different.  I began to assess my thoughts on a daily basis, in an effort to decipher what was fact and what was fiction. You’d be surprised at some of the ridiculous things I told myself. I also, began to increase my relationship with God by reading and praying.  This improvement alone allowed me to gain a better understanding of  who I was and “Who’s I was”. My new identity, allowed me to combat the lies I told myself  and replace them with truths.  I now have clarity and it allows me to see the lies coming a mile away, and it also helps that the devil isn’t very creative, the lies tend to be the same. However, the devil still stays busy and he absolutely refused to take any days off, therefore I must do the same.  Stay “WOKE” and stay “READY”!

Don’t allow your thoughts to keep you from becoming the person you were called to be, your happiness will depend on it!