Right now Christy at Avoiding Atrophy is hosting a fantastic link up to counteract this phenomenon. It's a link up about loving yourself. She originally posted here, discouraging the culture of putting yourself down, and instead, building yourself up. Now, more bloggers are writing about things they like about themselves and linking together for a stronger, more united front.
I love what Christy wrote in her most recent post about why she is doing this, and why all this negative self-talk is so destructive: "Suddenly all of the crappy things I'd say about myself became the crappy things I believed about myself until one day I just decided to say screw it -- I'd rather be totally full of myself than completely empty."
Woah. Deep, right? I'm a girl that spends a ton of time boasting about women, promoting female equality, and making men (including my husband) believe I'm a totally psycho feminist. And yet, I also spend a ton of time downplaying what I'm good at. I don't like to talk about myself--at least not things I'm proud of. And I don't know why. I LOVE talking about other people's strengths. I love making people feel recognized and encouraged. But I'll change the subject quickly after someone compliments me, or say something to contradict it--like I'm trying to balance out the universe or something.
And I think this is a huge deal in our culture. Women are told to not be vain. Don't boast about yourself. You shouldn't call yourself pretty. Of course, no one wants to be around people who ONLY talk about themselves, but let's stop putting ourselves down and make it okay to like ourselves.
So, the rest of this post is going to be me, being full of myself, because that's better than being empty.
10. Any color I dye my hair ends up looking natural on me.
9. I'm really good at my job.
8. I'm funny. Not all the time, of course, and not to everyone, but I make people laugh.
7. I follow through. I finished writing my play which will be performed in a few months. This a was a huge undertaking, and I'm really proud of myself for finishing it.
6. I'm a good writer. Along those same lines, I WROTE a freaking full-length play.
5. I'm a good director. Still on the play, all of the actors who auditioned said they were excited to work with me because I'm fun to work with, and I'm good at what I do.
4. I'm a good daughter and sister. I wasn't always, but in the last few years I've developed a much closer relationship with my parents and sister.
3. I'm a good volleyball player. I pick up a ton of slack for my teammates, and I try my hardest. I'm not the best there is, but I'm talented.
2. I'm a good friend. Even to my friends who live far away, I do a good job of keeping up with them and letting them know I think about them. I'm honest and available.
1. I'm a good wife. I could always be better, of course, but I love my husband more than anything. I try my hardest to serve him and make sure he feels loved and taken care of. I do my best to make our home a comfy and happy place, to give him his space when he needs it, and to be exactly the kind of wife he needs.
Your turn. Write your 10 Things, then link up with Christy over here. Let's spread the word to spend sometime encouraging and loving ourselves.
