Self-Esteem Makeover Challenge - Day 3

You may not think that serving someone else could be a self-esteem building exercise, but it is. Not only do you build yourself up by serving, but you are building someone else's as well. Jesus said, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

When you serve another, do something kind for them, you are showing them that they are worth your time. You are increasing their self-worth. When you do something kind for another person, when you serve them, as Jesus served us, you will feel joy. You will feel an increased purpose, which will improve your view of yourself.

We don't know what others around us may be going through. They may have an inward struggle that they just don't know how to deal with. They may not feel that they are able to share their pain with anyone. Sometimes, a small act of kindness can shed light into their darkness. Sometimes something simple is all that is needed to improve someone's day a thousand fold. So, today's challenge will, perhaps, make someone's day.

Today I implore you to write a note or card of enouragement and give it to someone in your home, school or office. Try to leave it without them knowing so that they don't feel obligated to open it right away or thank you for the kindness. Maybe leave a note of enouragement under your son's pillow telling him how proud you are of the way he took out the trash last week without being asked. Maybe leave a greeting card on your husband's steering wheel so that he will find it when he leaves for work in the morning. Maybe leave a cookie and a short note on your co-worker's desk saying how thankful you are to work with someone so kind. Maybe leave a card in the locker of that girl in your class who no one really talks to, reminding her that she is not invisible, that God loves her and maybe invite her to lunch or to study. Maybe stick a welcome note and a package of cocoa on the doorstep of that new couple that moved in down the street that you haven't met yet. The possibilities are endless, and they don't have to be extravagant.

Today's challenge is simple. Simply show love to someone. Simply. A card, a note, but do one thing, when you write your note, say a short prayer for that person. Ask God to give them a renewed confidence in themselves today. That is my note for you. You are loved. You are worthy. You are beautifully unique. You were fearfully and wonderfully made. Me and Jesus love you. I pray that today and every day as we travel through this challenge together, that God will renew your confidence.

Self-Esteem Makeover Challenge - Day 2

Good morning friends! I pray that today finds you blessed! Today's exercise is intended to help us better make and reach our goals. It is important when dealing with self-esteem to know how to effectively set a goal and see it through to completion.

Many of us know about goals, some of us simply have problems seeing them through to completion. "I cant's" get in the way. Well I set the goal to lose weight but "I can't" because "I can't" afford a gym membership, or "I can't" feel good about myself because "I can't" buy new clothes. "I can't" change the way I am. "I can't" make so-and-so love me. "I can't" do anything about this scar, mole, birthmark, whatever. "I can't", "I can't", "I can't", "I can't", "I can't". Blah, blah, blah.

I have news for you! "I can't" died today and you are going to bury him. That's today's exercise. Get out a piece of paper and write down five to ten things that you feel like you can't do.

Here are mine:
1. I can't lose weight without a gym membership
2. I can't get Austin to do his homework
3. I can't make Angie be my friend
4. I can't change the ugly stains on my teeth
5. I can't make everyone like me
6. I can't make mom feel better
7. I can't do everything for everyone
8. I can't possibly do all the things I want to every day
9. I can't make a difference
10. I can't change the world

Now take a shovel and go into your backyard. Dig a hole and bury all of your I cant's. If you are a young woman, still living at home, please check with your parents before just digging in their yard, we don't want to accidentally bust a sprinkler line or ruin someones prize begonias. If you're a mother doing this exercise with one or more young women, put all the lists in a box and bury them together. Have yourself a proper funeral so that you will truly remember the day that you laid "Can't" to rest.

Click the headstone picture above or the obituary and print it and hang it somewhere that you can see it. Then, when you get to feeling down, or get to feeling like you can't do something, remind yourself that can't is gone. It is no longer an excuse. On the bottom of the print out, write Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Another reminder that you CAN!

Ask someone to hold you accountable, maybe a good friend or your spouse, ask them if they hear you saying that you can't do something, to point to your picture or remind you of the day you buried him, laid to rest, soon to be forgotten.

Have a wonderful day today!

Self-Esteem Makeover Challenge - Introduction

Okay, so yesterday I gave you the first day of the Self-Esteem Makeover Challenge and today I wanted to tell you a little bit more about how it will work before we go on to Day 2.

First of all, it doesn't matter if you found this challenge on January 12, 2009 or someday 3 years from now, you can start at anytime. When you choose to, though, I would love to hear from you, so please drop a comment and let me know so that I can pray for your journey.

Next, 45 days, I really need to clarify this a little. There are 45 days of challenges, but the program will work on a Monday through Friday basis. One of the lessons we will learn through this challenge is proper and realistic goal setting and one of the ways to set an attainable goal is to prevent frustration and burn out so I didn't want for this to be a 7 day a week type project. That way if you miss a day, it's not a big deal. Also, I don't blog on the weekend, that's my time with my family and it's very important to me.

Now, each week will have a goal and the week will be spent learning to reach that goal. Monday is "goals day". On goals day we will find out the weekly goal and learn a little about how that specific topic affects our self-esteem. The goals are: goals, changing negative behavior, kicking sabotage, gratitude, accepting uniqueness, cleanse, inspire, uplift/encourage, and finally, renew. Tuesday is "uplifting me" day. On "uplifting me" day, we will learn how to do something to boost our own self-confidence and that its okay to do so. Wednesday is "service day". On "service day" we will do something for someone around us, helping encourage another's self-confidence will boost yours too, I promise. Thursday is "building day". On "building day" we will learn how we can improve our self confidence through our countenance, hair, clothes, hands, feet and accessories. This is not a material type building, we're not talking about going out and buying a whole new wardrobe, but how to make your attitude match the image we want to portray as a woman who is confident in the "great worth" that God sees in her. Then finally, Friday, ah Friday is "celebration day". On "celebration day" we will participate in an activity that celebrates what we have learned this week.

So now you know how the project will run. I am so excited, I have many women already commented or emailed to notify me that they are going to join us in our challenge. We also have several salons in different places offering some great prizes and a lucky reader who completes the challenge will receive a copy of Jonny Diaz's CD featuring the song "Beautiful You", one of the inspirations for this challenge.

Day 2's post will be coming later this morning, so check back soon.

Self-Esteem Makeover Challenge - Day 1

So many women are like me, they lack self-esteem. Maybe you, like me are the woman in the picture, in so many ways just "not enough". Now I can blame my low self-esteem on many things going back to early childhood, but truly, the blame now lies on me. I am the only one in this world with the power to do something about my self-confidence. My husband would call it a "heart problem" and really I believe that's exactly what it is. We call it self-esteem but it is more self-WORTH. I am not worthy of love, beauty, whatever...because I am too stupid, ugly, fat, whatever. Insert yours here: I am not worthy of _______ because I am too ___________. This is the darkness where our demon resides.

Paul reminds us to "Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you."(Romans 12:3) Now most people take this verse from the pride point of view, which is more than likely Paul's intention, but we also have to remember that God is a God of balance, if he wants us not to be prideful, than the opposite is also true, he doesn't want us to think too little of ourselves as well. Think of yourself with sober judgment, he says. Being beat down is as anti-sober as being prideful, so we must find a way to beat it.

I do believe that we are supposed to take care of our bodies, eat right and work out so that we may present ourselves as attractive to our husbands and also so that we are in good health to participate in God's work. I Corinthians 6 tells us that our bodies are a temple of the Lord and I Corinthians 7 tells us that if we are married, our bodies belong to our spouse. So I do think that we need to work on these things if they are not in shape. Mostly, though, I believe that nearly every single one of us women who has low self esteem, has physical fitness issues that we need to work on. So I encourage you to work out in some way at least 5 days a week. One of the best ways is to find a buddy. A friend can help keep you accountable and be a big step in encouraging.

Enough of the physical though, the Bible tells us in I Peter 3:3-4 "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight." That is why we are here today. As I work on my body, which I will be doing, I will also be working on my view of myself and I encourage you to join me. Many of you have participated in, or at least heard of The Love Dare and now I am challenging you to my own Love Yourself Dare. For the next 45 days, I will be posting once a day, something that you can do to improve your self-view.

Today's challenge is simple: Take a post it, notecard or piece of paper and write or print on it I Peter 3:3-4 "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight." To remind yourself for the next 45 days that you are of GREAT WORTH to God. Put it somewhere that you can see it. Maybe make one for your work computer and one for your vanity or bathroom mirror.

I challenge you to join me over the next 45 days, if you choose to accept this challenge, will you drop a comment, please? Help encourage others to jump on board. It is my prayer that 45 days from now, I have new friends who can look at themselves in the mirror and see the beauty that God sees.