Taming the Voice Monsters – Part One

Taming the Voice Monsters – Part One

I’m glad to home from my trip to China. The twenty days away were hectic without sleep. I need rest. Yet, I fight the voices in my head and from those around me telling me to push through. So how do I go about taming the voice monsters that need silencing?

As I deal with jet lag—falling asleep every afternoon and ready for bed by 7:00 PM, my brain isn’t firing on all cylinders. I repeat myself often and showed my husband the same photo of our new grandson twice with the same comments. He wonders if I’m showing early signs of dementia.

When faced with too much to do and little energy to do it, the voice monsters can be annoying. #TamingTheVoiceMonsters Share on X

When faced with too much to do and little energy to do it, the voice monsters can be annoying. Everyone’s voice monsters sound different. Here are a few of mine:

I can do it.

We live in a self-sufficient world, telling us to pull up our big girl pants and get the job done. We’re discouraged from asking for help because it shows weakness, revealing we are not super-women after-all. In our world of comparison, we are afraid to be less in the eyes of onlookers. Less of a mom. Less of a wife. Less of a cook. Less of a Christian. So overcoming the YOU CAN voice can be difficult.

I start to wonder what’s wrong with me when I can’t keep pace with everyone else.

We’re discouraged from asking for help because it shows weakness, revealing we are not super-women after-all. Share on X

What’s wrong with me?

Absolutely nothing. I am simply overdrawn in the energy department and I need to fill my tank. I am learning to give myself grace though it has taken me sixty years to say so. I am often the hardest on myself. But I think God desires for me to resist the taskmaster mentality. This reminds me of the verse that tells me His burden is light.

My to-do list needs to get done today.

Talk about a tyranny. Rather than making it a burden, I can pace myself, especially when dealing with exhaustion, jet lag, lack of sleep, and other stresses in life.

When we work, run a home, raise children, take the kids to sports events, plan meals, shop, cook, and clean up afterward. Let’s be honest, there isn’t much time left. I’m learning to give myself permission to put things off to tomorrow. This has reminded me that sometimes I need to ask for help.

I don’t need any help

Asking for help isn’t easy for me. I tend to see certain things as my job, yet I need to admit I need help. It doesn’t mean I am lazy – that’s what the voice monster wants me to believe.

In my jet-lagged state, I made the decision that I could make do with what I have in the freezer and planned to grocery shop the following week. I unpacked my suitcase but tackled laundry at my own pace. I’ve been home a week but still haven’t cleaned the bathroom.

I need to tell myself: It’s all good. Just breathe. It will get done.

How do you deal with the voice monsters in your head? Share on X

How about you? How do you deal with the voice monsters in your head? And, tune in next time for Part Two of taming them.

Jeanne

Stop by and see Becky Seamon. She shares 12 ideas for rest, and writes  Self-Care is not Selfish

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