What?
Lately, the negative voices in my head have been louder than the positive ones. It started with feeling guilt for bigger mistakes, then gradually grew to feeling guilt for small mistakes like staying up too late, or drinking an extra cup of hot chocolate. This morning as I was praying, I felt overwhelming guilt for not doing homework the night before (on a Friday night), and for asking for Heavenly Father's help with some things. I realized that I had nothing to feel guilty about. Friday nights are meant for fun, and Heavenly Father is there to help us! I realized that these guilty feelings were getting out of hand, and that I need to give myself a break.
So What?
I learned that there will always be negative voices in our heads, and they can become stronger and stronger if we let them. Heavenly Father does not want us to feel guilty unless we have something specific we need to repent for. Then the guilt leaves us as we make improvements. The guilt I have been letting get me doesn't go away. Recognizing that can help me identify when my guilt is coming from Heavenly Father or the adversary.
Now What?
This week, when I feel down on myself, I am going to take a moment to pause and ask myself where the guilt is coming from. I am going to allow myself to relax and have fun without feeling bad about it. Heavenly Father wants us to be happy!
Ashley, its a good thing that you are in the TR major and you are frequently surrounded by people who are all about knowing how to relax! I sometimes get that same guilty feeling when I am not super productive, but since declaring TR as my major I just think of it as a learning experience. How can I teach people about leisure if I don't know how to enjoy it myself. So, if you need someone to hang out with (or just someone to help you feel justified in your relaxing time) give me a call!
ReplyDeleteI know that guilty feeling of not doing enough! We are our biggest critics, but I'm glad you decided to give yourself a break. It's so important to love ourselves and to be confident, because it radiates and can help others without us knowing :) I hope you have a more positive week! :)
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