Who are you talking to?

Who is it that you talk to when you are "self talking"? When I was young, I had an imaginary friend - can't remember if I named my imaginary friend or not - not even sure who I thought it was. As I aged and shed childish things, I came to realize that my imaginary friend was and is GOD! What I have also come to realize is that my self-talk most often influences my self-esteem. Don't you constantly talk to yourself unconsciously? I do. As a salesman, I have to continually use self talk to build myself for the next call - especially if the previous call ended with NO! When you walk into a room full of strangers, what do you tend to think about yourself? To build more confidence you’re going to have to stop running yourself down! “As a person thinks in his heart, so is he”(Proverbs 23:7 NKJV). So whatever your self talk - let it be positive! A positive attitude influences your ability. Winners expect to win. Your perception controls your performance. If you think you will win, you probably will. If you think you won't win you probably won't. “All things are possible to him who believes” (Mark 9:23 NKJV). Have you ever heard the phrase; "trash in trash out"? One thing is for sure, you absolutely can't keep doing the same things over and over and expect different results - it simply won't happen. Does your imagination influence your aspirations? What do you dream about doing? In other words, do your dreams determine your destiny? To accomplish anything, you must first have a mission, a goal, a hope, a vision. “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18 KJV). Do you commit your thoughts and self talk to writing? Write your ideas, your passions, your aspirations down on paper - you will be amazed at how many of them will actually come true. How do you respond when somone says something totally unexpected to you? Are you defensive? Do you mis-read the comment? Many times an off handed comment has more to do with who said it, than to whom it was said. Your interpretation generally influences your situation. For me. It’s not what happens to me that matters as much as how I choose to see it and/or react to it. The way I react will determine whether the circumstance makes me better or bitter - positive or negative. I can view everything as an obstacle or an opportunity for growth – a stumbling block or a stepping stone. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4 NIV).