Flylady and Self-Talk

I read Flylady’s “Do You Want to Feel Better?” post from a couple of days ago. A few things kind of popped out at me because I’ve been thinking about self-image and self-talk, lately. One part of her post that struck me was:

Our messy homes are just that, a symptom of something much deeper. A disease of the Spirit. You do not love yourself.

And there was this part:

When we take care of our minds, body and spirit, the rest will gradually fall right into place, but we have to find that starting place.

And this:

Several years ago, we were taught to fake it till you make it. Well this term works well for us. We can fake a smile and you know what, we will begin to feel happier. It is a proven fact.

We do not love ourselves. We have to start taking care of our minds, bodies and spirits. We need to start somewhere. Flylady was talking about these things in the context of recovering from depression. These thoughts came together for me in a different context today.

I was thinking about my auto-pilot self-talk. Now, I do make a pretty big effort to take care of my mind, body and spirit. Part of that involves eating right and exercising and being in the Word very, very consistently. Yet, if I glance at myself in the mirror, do I say, “Wow, look at that healthy, strong body that helps me meet my responsibilities”? Do I say, “Wow, look at that body that is the temple of the Holy Spirit”? Do I say, “Wow, look at that body that has been blessed to have given birth to several children”?

It’s probably not too surprising that my auto-pilot self-talk does not involve those positive statements. So, today I was asking myself WHY I am so critical of my physical appearance. It’s probably also not too surprising that perfectionism rears its ugly head again, here. Where and when did I ever get the subliminal idea that my body is not lovable if it is not perfect? From watching too many “Charlies Angels” episodes? Too many “Miss America Pageants”? From reading too many “Seventeen” magazines?

So, I decided that today I would start “somewhere” in changing my self-talk when I glance in the mirror. Eventually, I hope that my auto-pilot self-talk will reflect the fact that my body is strong and healthy and the temple of the Holy Spirit and lovable, even though it is not perfect.

Oh, and just in case anyone is interested in why I was thinking along these lines today, it is because today I bought a swim suit.

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Tags: FLYing, swim suit