Picture for a moment you painted a picture. You spent hours on it- giving great detail into each and every brush stroke. You painted it with a variety of colors- and shapes. It has so much personality and depth. You love this painting. Then you make another painting- giving the same time and careful detail into it. Then another, and another.
You love your work. More than anything! After all, it came from you. You give them to lots of different people you care about and you just know they will love it too. What happens? A few of them neglect their painting, don't see it as anything much. Some people appreciate it well enough, but not quite as much as you did. Then there are some who absolutely do not see any of it's value. Suppose you knew how they truly felt about your gift... it would probably hurt.
I like to think about myself as one of those paintings and the painter as my Heavenly Father. How bad I must make Him feel when I neglect or devalue myself. Who am I to not appreciate myself and everything that makes me, me? I'm going to be the first to admit that self esteem has been a struggle from time to time. Not always, but I think it's important to focus on improving- doesn't matter who you are!!
Mom gave me great sources to look to at as I pieced together this post for her. From a talk by President James E. Faust was this:
"the self-esteem that I speak of this evening is not blind, arrogant, vain, self-love but rather a self-esteem that is self-respecting, honest, and without conceit. It is born of inner peace and strength."
Okay I don't know about you, but having inner peace and strength sounds pretty good.
I firmly believe though that every person has this same struggle to a certain degree... which is why the leaders of the church address this topic. I've always thought that the only thing I can do to strengthen my self esteem was to think positive thoughts about myself. Now although that does help it hasn't always proven effective. Luckily for us, President Faust gives us 6 keys to a healthy self esteem.
1. Keep your agency
2. Humility
3. Honesty
4. Love of Work
5. Ability to Love
6. Love of God
To read each in detail go here. It will help you to better love and appreciate yourself- and, in turn, love others. After all, loving your neighbors AS YOURSELF implies that you have learned to LOVE YOURSELF!
Mom also included a beautiful song for me to listen to. I didn't want to just put a plain song up here so naturally I added some pictures. It's of mom and her two daughters (myself and Anne). It applies to everyone though, of course!
If nothing else, remember we are children of our Heavenly Father. He made you the way you are because HE wants you this way. Please appreciate yourself and better yet, LOVE who you are. I'm going to make it my goal this year to improve my self esteem. Not just tell myself I'm great but to absolutely believe it.
And I'll leave you with a poem mom wrote:
"Here's to all of us
God himself created with trust
That we would take what was given
And Glorify him up in Heaven
The daily task is clear to see
Love ourselves and all humans that be
Be happy with ourselves and all our brothers
And share that happy with some others
Work each day for a good self love
That is something that comes from above
But when we finally achieve this
I just want to list
We will glorify him
Then we will truly win!"
6 comments:
What an appropriate blogpost for my first of the year; I couldn't have picked someone more appropriate to do it too than Connie! Wow! Of course I cried reading this, hearing this, and listening to and seeing the music! I hope this year, the message of this blogpost will ring true with all of us! If you haven't yet, read President's Faust's talk. It's as true for you dudes out there as it is for us ladies! Love, Melody, Mom, Mother, Momma Nelson, Grandma Nelson
p.s. Connie's rendition of Joy to the World is truely part of the Divine in her. Thanks Connie, for sharing that with all of us! Love, Mother
Thanks Melody, this is a great post. And thanks to our beautiful daughter Connie for adding her touch to it. That was a great video Connie. I loved the piano video too, I miss your piano playing... I miss all of my family. We have a family portrait from when kids were young right next to our exercise bike downstairs, I look at it while I pedal away and I miss those days. All of my kids are great people! My favorite Christmas present I got last year was to spend time with them. I love you guys. I love your mother too. She is simply the sweetest woman who ever lived. I do not know how I ever deserved to have her as my eternal companion. She is also a great mother. I went bowling with her last night (she bowled great, but I still won), and some little kid from her school saw her and it was amazing to see her interact with that kid. Little wonder my kids turned out so well; Melody is a wonderful human being. She is also the best wife I ever had! ;)
I miss and love you both too- thanks for having me do this post mom- it was really nice to read Faust's talk and ponder all these things. I didn't add much from the talk but that's only because I know super long posts are hard to read for some! So hopefully the family will click on the link and read it (:
SO excited for KY and living closer- Road trips in our future! I love you and miss you both so much!
loved it. very very true. i love you mom!
Thanks for the very personal reminder I was crying. and the time you guys must have spent. LOVE you all.
Post a Comment