By Brenda Grays, I Start Wondering Columnist
What kind of “I am” statements about yourself are coming out of your mouth or are in your thoughts? Are you stuck in saying negative things such as, “I am fat,” “I am stupid,” “I am old” or “I am useless”?
Positive self-talk can change our thinking, which then affects our actions and ultimately can help us successfully face any obstacle in our path.
Life coach Iyanla Vanzant advises us to love and be kind to ourselves: “Everything that happens to you is a reflection of what you believe about yourself. We cannot outperform our level of self-esteem. We cannot draw to ourselves more than we think we are worth.”
We can love and be kind to ourselves by flipping our messages to ourselves to those of positive self-talk such as “I am victorious. I am blessed. I am talented.” Try this and see if you feel more optimistic and have better self-esteem. I am sure you will!
I have been inspired by pastor and televangelist Joel Osteen’s wisdom on the power of I Am! He says, “Whatever follows the words ‘I am’ will always come looking for you.” Making positive statements will improve your inner self and make you more productive and happy as you invite God’s goodness into your life.
Learning About I Am
What am I? While recovering from back surgery a few years ago, I had time to reflect on my life. One thing I learned is that I am truly blessed! These are some of the I Am lessons I learned during that introspective time:
Lesson 1: I Am Patient
Being patient was one of the biggest lessons that I learned during those four weeks. I have never had the opportunity to have someone wait on me and do things that I couldn’t do for myself because I was facing physical limitations. As I recuperated from surgery, I developed the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.
Waiting calmly is a good trait to have, though for me the ability to wait without agitation is not always easy. But I’m learning!
Lesson 2: I Am Humble
Sometimes in life, we have to let others help us because we cannot do everything for ourselves. This is a lesson in humility that I learned during my recuperation. I was not my usual capable self – I was in need of accepting help. While this journey of healing was mine and mine alone to take–and with the grace of God I was thankful– my husband took the best care of me while never missing a beat on his daily tasks.
A blog post about humility on Harappa Education notes that although many might see it as a sign of weakness, humility is one of the biggest strengths a person can have. A humble person is self-aware and always focused on doing the right thing. “Humble people are well aware of themselves,” the blog author wrote. “They know their strengths and skills. They come across as confident and polite, yet firm in their beliefs and actions.”
Lesson 3: I Am Grateful
I typically have a positive attitude but during that time when I was facing, going through, and healing from surgery, I realized that faith, belief, and a positive outlook were the only things that would get me through the painful challenges. Sometimes, we have to go through the hard part to get to the good part! Sometimes God won’t get you out of it – but He will give you the grace to get through it.
Minister and author Joyce Meyer talks about overcoming hard circumstances in your life and the power of being grateful. First, you have to want your life to change. And you should be just as thankful during the hard times as you would if everything was going well.
Lesson 4: I Am Strong
One experience I encountered was the quiet force within me through the power of prayer that gave me the strength to heal. We have not because we ask not; daily meditation, hope, and belief in my higher power helped me recuperate.
Lesson 5: I Am Loved
Last but not least, I have thought so much about the value of relationships. I have developed countless friendships and while recovering, I contemplated how those relationships have enriched my life in so many ways. A life without friends who are there for us and whom we can support in return might be a rewarding life for some, but for me, it would be no life at all. This time allowed me to appreciate all of the relationships in my life.
Having a true relationship means you have to be your authentic self. I have learned over the years to be fully accepting of myself and that I am unique and special. I have learned to love the wonderful person I have become!
Being connected is also critical to deep relationships. Love and respect have no color. We are on this planet together—I need you and you need me.
The Power of I AM
When you have the right “I am” statement, you’re inviting goodness into your life. Whatever follows the “I am” will eventually find you. What about you? Are you VALUABLE, AMAZING, A GOOD FRIEND? I want to hear you say it with conviction: “I AM!”
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What positive things do you tell yourself? How has being positive improved your life? Let us know in the comments below.
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