Identity: Who Am I Really?

I am amazed how a word of admiration or expression of affirmation can create energy that lasts for days. I don’t know about you, but a compliment can change my entire day. Positive affirmation creates energy and confidence. Admit it, when a total stranger walks up to you and says, “Girl, I love your shoes. Where in the world did you find those?” you feel good. Inside, you’re thinking,Yes, they are adorable aren’t they? I made a good choice. I have great taste. In fact, I should be a professional stylist.
One compliment can empower you to take on the world.
Conversely, I have watched words of rejection destroy a person’s self-esteem, potential, or dream forever. Rejection is a serious issue, but with wise discernment, time, and effort, an optimistic heart can emerge.
Possessing a clear and definitive identity of who you are will leave little room for the envious, cynical, skeptical, or jealous opinions of others. Before you can conquer the negative words from others, you must first conquer your own negative thoughts….
I want you to develop a renewed identity of who God has created you to become.

House of Mirrors
Children have a way of bringing life into perspective. When our children were young, they insisted on going to the local fair. One of their favorite attractions was the house of mirrors. Fascinated by the warped images the mirrors provided, they would run from mirror to mirror as each showed a new distortion of their true reflections. While one mirror made them look exaggeratedly tall, the next gave the appearance of being extremely wide. The more bizarre the shape, the more they laughed. The fun lasted until they gazed into the final mirror. There they looked up and questioned, “Is that what I really look like?” They had looked at so many distorted views of themselves that by the end of the maze they had forgotten their true appearance.
What about you?
Have you looked into the mirror of others’ perceptions for so long you have forgotten your true image? A misconstrued image of one’s self is the cause of poor self-esteem, fear, self-doubt, and negative thinking.
Your self-esteem is a mirror image of self-perception. If distorted, that mirror can create an unhealthy self-portrait and sabotage any undeveloped potential for success. What is your self-portrait? Is it positive? Is it an accurate description? If I were to spend an hour interviewing your closest friends, how would they depict you? What words or stories would they use to illustrate your personality? Those who have successfully defeated rejection embrace a healthy self-image, while the unsuccessful remain trapped by the warped image of who others wish them to become. How you view yourself will ultimately decide how you live your life.
Years ago, a famous singer and songwriter made a powerful point about self-worth. When asked during an interview, “What keeps you from competing to be number one?” she confidently replied, “Because I know no one can be a betterme, thanme.” Sincerely humble, yet boldly confident, she understood that when you are simply yourself, the costly spirit of competition withers and self-confidence emerges.

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