Day 3690: Self talk

In my therapy groups, we often talk to each other about self talk. In general, people in my groups talk more kindly to each other than they talk to themselves.

I don’t know why so many good people have such harsh inner critics, resulting in negative self talk. I do know we can learn to talk to ourselves differently — with respect, kindness, and love.

And if we practice positive self talk, we’re more likely to talk more positively to others.

Do you see self talk in any of my images for today?

My self talk — like the Daily Bitch’s — also has to do with accepting exactly where I am right now: awake, not angry, blogging, and still recovering from COVID.

Here’s what I find on YouTube when I search for “self talk.”

Thanks to all those who help me turn my self talk into these daily blog posts, including YOU.

Day 3244: I love _____

I love asking people questions, so how would you fill in the blank of today’s title?

Last night, after a wonderful last day of a New York vacation, I said “I love New York” out loud as I was walking through Times Square.

I love looking on YouTube for relevant videos, so here’s an example of the “I Love New York” advertising campaign from the 1970s …

… and a 1978 version of the song from that campaign.

I love sharing my images with you in this daily blog, so here are many reasons I love New York

I love:

• the High Line walk,
• wonderful, talented people like Stephen Colbert and Jon Batiste,
• delicious French food at restaurants like La Rivage, and
• Twitter even when I’m on vacation.

I love people loving themselves more.

I love getting comments and I love ending each blog post with gratitude for YOU!

Day 3206: Do you realize how lovable you are?

Yesterday, when I was loving people’s responses on Twitter, I asked this question:

Do you realize how many people do not realize that they are lovable? I don’t love that but I do love that many responded with “yes” and “I’m working on it.”

Do you realize how much I love sharing words and images here with you every day?

Do you realize how much I love snowy egrets, Jackie Chan, the Daily Bitch, and embracing whatever comes my way?

Do you realize that loving more (including loving ourselves) helps us love and appreciate each precious day?

Do you realize what you can find on YouTube when you search for “do you realize how lovable you are?”

Besides “Do You Realize” by the Flaming Lips, you can also find this:

I realize that I love that video by Psych2Go.

Do you realize that you can leave a comment below and that I always end my blog posts with gratitude for lovable YOU?

Day 3019: Terrified

Yesterday, I was thinking about how terrified I’ve been over the last five years, starting with medical experts in May 2016 insisting I needed something that had terrified me for decades — open heart surgery. Terrified as I was, I survived that, only to encounter U.S. political developments that terrified the world as well as many personal losses.

Now that I’m feeling safer, I’m allowing myself to admit how terrified I really was, letting go of terror I’ve been holding, day by day.

Here are my images from yesterday, including photos of an often terrified cat.

Here is “Terrified” by Childish Gambino:

Here is “Terrified” coupled with Disney’s “The Haunted House.”

Please don’t be terrified about commenting, below.

No matter how terrified I am, I always remember to express gratitude, so thanks to all, including YOU.

Day 2977: Self inoculation

Two days ago, my post was self-destructive. Today, I’m writing about self inoculation, which is effectively preparing yourself for troubles ahead.

Yesterday, in a therapy session when we were talking about self-hatred, people committed to each other that the next time they did, felt, or thought something that triggered self-hatred, they would take a deep breath and love (or at least LIKE) themselves instead. In essence, people were self inoculating against a known destructive response.

This morning, before I got on the scale, I self inoculated by saying this to myself: “No matter what that number is, I am going to welcome it. That number is not going to affect my self worth.”

Blogging, for me, is another example of self inoculation. With each daily post, I am preparing myself for troubles ahead — refreshing my resilience. That’s why blogging has been such a priority for me over the past eight years.

Do you see any examples of self inoculation in today’s images?

As The Daily Bitch shows us, sometimes the way we self inoculate might cause trouble for other people.

Many of us will need to be inoculated with a coronavirus vaccine before we attend a concert like this — Huey Lewis and the News performing “I Want a New Drug” (which sounds like self-inoculation to me).

If expressing your thoughts and feelings is self inoculation for you, please leave a comment below.

Ready for some self inoculation of gratitude?

Day 2543: Recommended daily doses

Experts recommend daily doses of

• calm and bright,

 

• self-love,
• self-respect,

• letting go of judgment, guilt, dread, worry, and other unhelpful habits,

• caution,

• strength,
• support,

• whimsy,
• warmth,
• animals, and

• BITCHING!

Here‘s the dose of YouTube music pictured above:

 

Now it’s time for my daily dose of gratitude!

 

 

 

Day 2271: Why I Love You

Why, I love this card that I saw yesterday in a hospital gift shop!

I love those reasons for why somebody loves somebody else.  Here’s why I love that pie chart: it gives the most pie to “You Make Me Laugh.”

I also love the idea of making a pie chart of why you love yourself, because as RuPaul says at the end of every episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race,

If you can’t love yourself, how in the hell are you gonna love somebody else?

I love that video of the lovely and loving RuPaul advocating self-love over and over again, because it bears repeating. I also love that Denes Fernando‘s compilation video has unanimous love — NO thumbs down on YouTube, at this lovely moment.

Here are more reasons why I love taking pictures for this blog:

I love blogging and I love inviting you, here and now, to share why you love anything, anyone, and especially YOU.

Day 2205: Hello, beautiful

Hello, beautiful.

How does that affect you, for somebody to call you beautiful?  What would happen if you called yourself beautiful?

Let’s try that again.

Hello, beautiful. On our beautiful flight to Disney World last week, I wrote a new song called “What Are Other People Thinking About You?” which included this lyric:

What are other people thinking about you?

That is something you will never know.

Then why not assume they’re thinking you’re gorgeous,

Smart, and someone they would want to know.

When I looked at those lyrics yesterday in the harsh, cold light of Boston, I realized I could make them more beautiful if I didn’t rhyme “know” with “know.”

Hello, beautiful. Here are my other beautiful photographs from yesterday:

My beautiful boyfriend Michael, who made that beautiful Portobello Burger last night, often says these beautiful words:

It’s not where you are, it’s who you’re with.

And since you’re always with yourself, why not enjoy the  beautiful company?

Searching YouTube for “Hello beautiful Minnie Mouse” found this beautiful match for today’s post about song lyrics and other beautiful topics:

Hello, beautiful.  Thanks for reading today’s post and if you leave a comment, that would be beautiful.

Day 2172: I hate myself for _______.

I used to hate myself for this and that, but no more.  Now, I hate it when I hear people say “I hate myself” for anything.

Yesterday, in my office, somebody said they hated themselves for not being what they used to be.

Have you ever said, “I hate myself” for anything?  I won’t hate you if you share that, below.

I’d hate it if my other photos had any hate in them.

Hate disrupts the immune system. How can we boost it?  Let’s start with kind words towards ourselves and others.

During this season, I do not hate myself for

• being done with my holiday shopping,
• eating more sweets than usual,
• applying to do a show at the  2019 Edinburgh Free Fringe,
• starting two new songs, “Don’t Call Me” and “How Much Time Do We Have with Each Other,”
• not being able to get back to sleep in the middle of the night, last night, or
• anything else.

Joan Jett hates herself for loving you:

I might hate myself if I forgot to thank all those who helped me create today’s post and — of course! — YOU, but I doubt it.

Day 1759: What do you like most about yourself?

What do you like most about yourself?

What I like most about myself is that  …

• I offer  therapy/support groups where people  bring in and answer excellent questions.

• I encourage people to think about and practice  personal medicine.

• I follow my own values and standards.

• I try my best to live righteously and love everyone.

• I appreciate and share great music.

 

• I express gratitude, including thanking all who help me create these daily blog posts and — of course! — YOU.