Why Are We So Mean???

Why are we so mean to ourselves?

Recently, two of my friends posted this meme on Facebook:

One friend was a single mother of a little boy and the other was a newly single dad of four.

My heart screamed "No!!!" when I saw each post. I don't think it was a coincidence that both of these people are young parents. We are so hard on ourselves. But...

No way! No matter how many mistakes you make, you are not garbage! It doesn't matter if your significant other has left you (even if they had good reason to), or if you've lost your job (through mistakes of your own), or if you've screamed at your kids for the 100th time today (even though you know you should not have), you are NEVER EVER garbage!!!

We humans are broken things. We make mistakes, lots of mistakes. Sometimes we make the same stupid mistakes over and over again. But that does NOT mean we are worthless.

You are the only YOU on this planet. I believe with my whole heart that you were created for a purpose. Maybe you feel like you aren't fulfilling that purpose. Maybe you are right. Maybe you have stumbled down the wrong path. Maybe you know that you aren't doing what you are supposed to be doing. 

But is beating yourself up going to make things any better? Is tearing yourself down going to help you move in the right direction? ABSOLUTELY NOT!

If you need help seeing who you really are, seeing what your worth and purpose is, ask for help. Go to your spouse, the Bible, your pastor, parent, friend, whomever you love and respect, and ask for their help. Sometimes we really need to step outside of ourselves, to get someone else's perspective, to see the big picture. You are so much harder on yourself than you have to be. Stop it!

If nothing else, look at yourself through the eyes of your child. Throughout my motherhood journey I have felt like a failure so many times. And so many times I have been amazed at how my kids love me anyway. They are so quick to forgive. So quick to love me in spite of my failures. 

When my kids look at me, they don't see a bag of garbage. When your kids look at you, dear parent, they don't see a bag of garbage. So stop tearing yourself down. Just stop it! You are setting an example for your kids, do you want them to do the same thing to themselves? I know you don't. 

So stop it!

All my love,

Lee