Whether you know it or not, you have an ongoing conversation with yourself. How does it sound? Do you encourage yourself? Or do you condemn yourself? If you are positive, then you strengthen your positive self-image. If you are negative, you weaken your self-worth. If you’re serious about improving your life, then you must improve the way you think of yourself. And to do that, you must change the way you talk to yourself. And the older you grow, the more responsible you are for the way you think, talk, and believe. Don’t you already have enough problems? Why give yourself more by discouraging yourself with negative self-talk? Turn into your own encourager. Each time you do a good job, compliment yourself. Each time you choose discipline over an indulgence, don’t tell yourself that you should have done that anyway; appreciate how much you are helping yourself. Each time you make a mistake, don’t rehearse everything that’s wrong with yourself; tell yourself that you’re paying the price for growth and that you will learn to do better next time. The psalmist recognised the importance of his self-talk: ‘I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.’ ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits’ (Psalm 103:2 NKJV). ‘I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust”’ (Psalm 91:2 NKJV). The word for today is – improve your self-talk.

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.