Good Opinion of Yourself

“Be a friend to thyself, and others will be so too”
Thomas Fuller

Everyday, we come across people who are miserable and negative about themselves. We think about how much of a downer it is to be around them whether they are co-workers, classmates, friends, or family. Sometimes, I feel like telling people to just snap out of it and look at all the positives in their life. They have a job, friends, family, and nice possessions. I live in North America so the poorest people in my country are staggeringly rich in other countries. However, do we ever stop and ask ourselves if we are one of these people? We acknowledge everything wrong but don’t see their blessings all around us.

Most people don’t realize how negative they are everyday. How do we recognize if we are one of the negatives? Our thought lives and body language. If we think defeating thoughts then we act defeated. If we carry ourselves defeated then we act defeated. The key issue here is acknowledging that we suffer from defeatism and need to move toward positivism. Most people are too hard on themselves. One small mistake and they ruin the rest of their day if not week or longer. No one expects you to be perfect so don’t be a perfectionist. Only seeing what you do wrong and not what you do right is a horrible way to live. It is hell on earth. Spending your time on thinking about how too fat, too tall, or not smart enough is a waste of time. You need to love yourself before you can love someone else. This was probably the hardest lesson I have learned in my life. Without self-acceptance, there is no opportunity to accept someone else.

The opinion that you have of yourself is the most determinant factor of how others perceive you. If you constantly send out unworthy messages, you will receive unworthy responses. You will miss great relationships because they can never really become great without you having a great relationship with yourself. If you cannot have a great relationship with yourself, you do not truly understand how to have a great relationship with others. Being your own best friend is the key to being a best friend to others. If you honour and favour yourself, you can do the same to other people. Compliment yourself just as you would complement those around you.

What really matters? How you feel on the inside is more important than what you look like on the outside. Hold your head up high and shake off your failures. Start your day thinking about your successes and not your failures. Think to yourself, “So far, so good.” Find the good that you do. Say to yourself, “I am strong, healthy, and victorious! There is nothing I cannot accomplish if I put my mind towards it.” Dwell on your good qualities and not your bad. You are empowered and have all the talents necessary to fulfill your destiny.

“Before a person can achieve the kind of life he wants, he must think, act, walk, talk and conduct himself in all of his affairs as would the person he wishes to become”
Zig Ziglar

Action Exercise:
Don’t say anything negative about yourself for a day. You will see how much better you will feel about yourself. When you are at a mirror say, “I am awesome and I will let others know by how I act today.”

VividLife.me Contributor

Chris Oldcorn
Inspirational Speaker and Writer
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“Whatever you do, you are creating your own future.”

Written by Chris Oldcorn

Chris Oldcorn is an inspirational speaker and author. Chris communicates an inspiring message of hope to audiences around the world through columns, articles, book chapters, books, and speaking engagements. Chris is the founder of the “Coffee Shop” books series. Chris has contributed to VividLife, VividLife Radio, Self-Empower Magazine, and other publications.

Chris has an undergraduate degree in psychology and is currently pursing graduate work in research analysis. He lives in a suburb of Toronto, Canada with Abby, his lovable Wheaton Terrier.

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