Thought Adjuster: “It is an eye-opener to ask yourself which opinion your hold of yourself and how you formed it. Which type of inner dialogue do you hold?  Are you congratulating yourself for your progress, speaking words of encouragement?  Or do you operate in a disempowering mode of self-loathing?

Self-esteem or self-disrespect are home-grown.  Due to their emotional baggage, many parents are 'unfit' at infusing their children with a healthy dose self-confidence. 

The nasty little voice that bullies you from inside your head is NOT your friend—it is a hostile witness in dire need of thorough cross-examination to reveal a far more accurate picture of who you are. 

It is an insult to your Heavenly Father to disparage yourself.  He did not leave you out when He ‘gifted’ you with facets of His brilliant personality. He dwells right within you, and His ever-loving and considerate mental input nudges you forward, pointing out all the things you ‘can-do.’ He tells you how precious you are in His Eyes and always acknowledges the sincerity of your heart.  For Him, there is no finality in your failures, and He continually injects you with renewed hope.

Why not censor your self-talk and reframe it from a loving and forgiving perspective?  How else could you ever progress if you are too hard on yourself and do not give yourself credit when deserved?  Through the practice of self-respect, you will grow in self-love.  By objectively loving yourself, you will become more empathic toward others.  Aren’t they going through similar identity crises?

They, too, will value the expression of your compassion and respect, as it tells them that they are lovable and respectable. Your attitude shapes your reality.  It determines the quality of the brush strokes you apply to your life mural—defiling graffiti or stunning strokes of genius?”