In my therapy groups, we often talk to each other about self talk. In general, people in my groups talk more kindly to each other than they talk to themselves.
I don’t know why so many good people have such harsh inner critics, resulting in negative self talk. I do know we can learn to talk to ourselves differently — with respect, kindness, and love.
And if we practice positive self talk, we’re more likely to talk more positively to others.
Do you see self talk in any of my images for today?
My self talk — like the Daily Bitch’s — also has to do with accepting exactly where I am right now: awake, not angry, blogging, and still recovering from COVID.
Here’s what I find on YouTube when I search for “self talk.”
Thanks to all those who help me turn my self talk into these daily blog posts, including YOU.
Yesterday, when I was loving people’s responses on Twitter, I asked this question:
Do you realize how many people do not realize that they are lovable? I don’t love that but I do love that many responded with “yes” and “I’m working on it.”
Do you realize how much I love sharing words and images here with you every day?
Do you realize how much I love snowy egrets, Jackie Chan, the Daily Bitch, and embracing whatever comes my way?
Do you realize that loving more (including loving ourselves) helps us love and appreciate each precious day?
Yesterday, I was thinking about how terrified I’ve been over the last five years, starting with medical experts in May 2016 insisting I needed something that had terrified me for decades — open heart surgery. Terrified as I was, I survived that, only to encounter U.S. political developments that terrified the world as well as many personal losses.
Now that I’m feeling safer, I’m allowing myself to admit how terrified I really was, letting go of terror I’ve been holding, day by day.
Here are my images from yesterday, including photos of an often terrified cat.
Two days ago, my post was self-destructive. Today, I’m writing about self inoculation, which is effectively preparing yourself for troubles ahead.
Yesterday, in a therapy session when we were talking about self-hatred, people committed to each other that the next time they did, felt, or thought something that triggered self-hatred, they would take a deep breath and love (or at least LIKE) themselves instead. In essence, people were self inoculating against a known destructive response.
This morning, before I got on the scale, I self inoculated by saying this to myself: “No matter what that number is, I am going to welcome it. That number is not going to affect my self worth.”
Blogging, for me, is another example of self inoculation. With each daily post, I am preparing myself for troubles ahead — refreshing my resilience. That’s why blogging has been such a priority for me over the past eight years.
Do you see any examples of self inoculation in today’s images?
As The Daily Bitch shows us, sometimes the way we self inoculate might cause trouble for other people.
Why, I love this card that I saw yesterday in a hospital gift shop!
I love those reasons for why somebody loves somebody else. Here’s why I love that pie chart: it gives the most pie to “You Make Me Laugh.”
I also love the idea of making a pie chart of why you love yourself, because as RuPaul says at the end of every episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race,
If you can’t love yourself, how in the hell are you gonna love somebody else?
I love that video of the lovely and loving RuPaul advocating self-love over and over again, because it bears repeating. I also love that Denes Fernando‘s compilation video has unanimous love — NO thumbs down on YouTube, at this lovely moment.
Here are more reasons why I love taking pictures for this blog:
I love blogging and I love inviting you, here and now, to share why you love anything, anyone, and especially YOU.
Hello, beautiful. On our beautiful flight to Disney World last week, I wrote a new song called “What Are Other People Thinking About You?” which included this lyric:
What are other people thinking about you?
That is something you will never know.
Then why not assume they’re thinking you’re gorgeous,
Smart, and someone they would want to know.
When I looked at those lyrics yesterday in the harsh, cold light of Boston, I realized I could make them more beautiful if I didn’t rhyme “know” with “know.”
Hello, beautiful. Here are my other beautiful photographs from yesterday:
My beautiful boyfriend Michael, who made that beautiful Portobello Burger last night, often says these beautiful words:
It’s not where you are, it’s who you’re with.
And since you’re always with yourself, why not enjoy the beautiful company?