You.  Yes.  I’m talking to you.  You know that voice inside your head?  The one that only says negative things to you about you?  Well.  It’s time to let it go.  Just fire that voice.   It’s time to take control of your thoughts and words and actions.  You are you.  Not that voice that you hear.

Get in the fight.  Fight for yourself.  Fight yourself.  Fight your fears.  Fight your worries.  Fight that person’s voice you hear if it’s telling you lies.  Because it’s always telling you lies.  You know that voice you hear.  In your head.  That voice that constantly puts you down.  Tells you that you’re worthless.  Tells you that you can’t ever reach that goal or dream.  The voice that tells you you’re not good enough to amount to anything worthwhile in life.  You know that voice.  It isn’t even your voice.  It’s someone else’s.  Oh.  You most likely know whose voice it is.

That voice that you’ve let become your voice may be from a former teacher.  Or a parent.  Or a sibling.  Or that bully you sat by in sixth grade.  It may be a former boyfriend.  Or your spouse.  A former spouse.  It may be your soccer coach.  It may be the boss you report to for forty hours a week.  For years on end.  It may be that coworker who thinks the world owes them everything and you nothing.  You know the voice.  Get rid of it.

So admit it.  You listen to that voice more than you listen to anything else anyone else tells you.  Because that voice is always right.  Am I right?  Well.  Think about this.  That voice isn’t right.  It’s telling you lies.  Big lies.  That voice has put you down for so long that you think it’s the only voice of reason.  But here’s the thing.  It’s not the truth.  It’s not reason.

For too long, you’ve felt that you have to continually seek approval from that person.  The one who criticizes you.  Puts you down in public.  More so in private.  Never applauds your successes.  All you want is their praise.  Their applause.  Their acceptance.  Doesn’t seem like much to ask.  But it is.  Remember this.  They too have someone’s voice in their head.  Don’t pass that ugly voice down to another generation.

Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right and pure and lovely and admirable.  Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.    Philippians 4:8

You know that dream you’ve had tucked away.  For so long.  You dare not call it a dream anymore for fear someone may laugh.  Well.  I dare you.  Start thinking about it.  Write it down.  Dare to speak it.  Oh.  You say you’re not a dreamer.  You can’t imagine new possibilities.  Or even hope them.  Maybe you should.  Because you’ll only accomplish whatever you do.  Oh.  You may fail.  That’s right.  But what if you succeed?  What then?

You say you’re not educated.  Do you think a piece of paper is worth more than natural talent?  God given talent?  Do you think a diploma is worth more than experience?  Well.  It may be for some things.  But not for everything.  So if you don’t really need that piece of paper.  Don’t sweat it.  You’re still somebody without it.  You still have natural talent.  You still have gifts.

I’ve heard others sing your praises.  More than once.  They think you’re awesome.  They’re amazed at your God given talents.  They admire you.  They kind of want to be you.  They wonder how you do what you do and stay so humble.  They love your sense of humor.  They love your steadfastness.  They seek you out of a crowd.  They come to you for advice.  You are loved.  You are valued.  You are the answer to someone’s prayer.

So go ahead.  Listen to the voice in your heart.  Listen to the voice that calms your fears.  The voice that speaks truth in times of uncertainty.  Trust that voice.

You are worthy.  You are capable.  You are enough.  You are loved.

Don’t let someone else’s negativity become your life motto.