Jerri Kelley

Can we talk?
You know, the kind of talk where some of you are really not going to like me afterward, but if you listen, it’ll change your life?
Because I had this talk with myself, and it changed my life kind of talk?

You are responsible for how you see yourself.
You are responsible for whether you like yourself.
You are responsible for dealing with your insecurities.
You are responsible for seeing your own value.
You are responsible for your self-confidence.

YOU.

No one else.

No one else is responsible for telling you a kajillion times they are not mad at you.
No one else is responsible for telling you a kajillion times that they like you.
No one else is responsible for reassuring you a kajillion times that you have worth, do something well, or should be alive.
Noe one is required to listen to you for the 80th time talk about how you think this person or that person doesn’t like you because of this or that or…the simple fact you don’t like yourself.

Deal with it.

I’m not talking about simple self-affirmations in the mirror that you say and roll your eyes to.
I’m not talking about years in therapy hashing out the crap your parents did or your ex did or the whomever did.

I’m talking about deal with the fact you:
…do some things really well that others do not do as well as you. And quit calling that a lie.
…are important and people really do love you. And quit giving reasons why they shouldn’t.
…have a purpose. And take responsibility for living that.
…can change your habits, which will change the way you feel and think if you choose for it to.
…may need therapy. If you do, that’s alright. ALL OF US need someone to work through things with. Some of us have specialists we call therapists, and others have people they don’t pay. If they help you get to the other side of the self-hate, they are valid.
…need to believe the good things people say about you. Stop calling people liars and believe them! That isn’t humility. That is disrespecting the people trying to love you and help you. It is also self-sabotage, which becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy in every area of your life.
…have to put in the effort to see yourself differently, change your habits or routine in order to become successful, quit making excuses.
…have to put in the effort to change, or you are choosing to be miserable.
…have the power to choose.

And there is the rock bottom fact.

You have the power to choose to see yourself differently and change your life by seeing yourself as good at things, having possibility, being able to succeed.

I’m not saying it’ll be easy. It’s not. It’s hard, and it can have moments of feeling impossible. But it also feels exhilarating, strong, hopeful, confident, proud, successful.

And you can do it.
The world needs you to do it.
You bring something to this world no one else can.
And you are so very needed.

I hope you see that.

Jerri Kelley