As Parents
We want our children to be happy and successful in life so we tell them our thoughts or opinions. Be careful what you say to your children. Don’t let your outside voice become their inside voice.
I remember being chubby as a child. When I was a teenager I weighed 97 pounds and still I felt fat. It didn’t help that my dad would say things like, “Come on in fatty, if you can fit through the door.” To him it was a joke because I was so thin, but to me it became my internal voice. Every time I looked in the mirror I saw a fat person. Can you imagine? Ninety seven pounds and I thought I was fat, wow!
Be careful what you say to your children, they don’t have all the filters you do and take things very personally, especially coming from you. Lift them up, encourage them, help them stay positive and open to possibilities.
As Children (including teenagers and young adults)
Don’t listen to your parents. I’m not saying don’t follow the rules. Your parents give you rules to help keep you safe or teach you a skill that will help you in life because they love you.
What I’m saying is, if your parent says something that puts you down or makes you feel bad, just remember that you are an eternal spiritual being made of pure love. You are not the names people call you, you are not the way others make you feel, you have a choice in each moment to feel bad or to feel good.
Find a way to feel good about yourself; it’s your life and your responsibility. Think about things that make you feel good. Do things that make you feel good. Be who you truly are. Don’t let anyone’s outside voice become your internal self talk.