If you’re wondering if it’s some kind of Flashback Tuesday, no it’s not. I’ve heard this specific topic repeated several times on the Radio, and thought Id’ share it. While listening to K-Love a few weeks ago, one of the contributors Jud Wilhite spoke about some of the thoughts that run rampant in our heads. Without telling my age, I remember when I’d listen to my music via a Tape Player, no not a CD, no not an MP3 player, or even via smart phone. There was a time when you’d have to listen to music via a tape, and would have to fast-forward to get to your specific song, there was not skipping and going straight to the next song. Not to stay trapped in memory lane, but that reminded me of the most important indicator of a great relationship, or that you wanted a relationship, giving someone a mix-tape. It seems silly and cheesy in today’s standards, but a mix-tape was a window into who you were, it was a compilation of the best music. It gave you something to talk about, and it also let you know in an instant if you were meant to be; if your love interest didn’t like your favorite tunes, how could you ever be together?
Jud highlighted something very important, our mix-tape showed who we were on the inside. It was also a great way to pick ourselves up when something bad happened; we could lock ourselves away from the bad world, and we could heal our soul through the rhythmic tunes. A mix-tape wasn’t just any list of songs randomly strewn together, it was the best of the best, our most favorite tunes. You didn’t just give a mix-tape to anyone either, that was reserved for those closest to us; those in our inner inner circle! If you were like me, you knew ever line of every tune in each mix-tape, it was your spiritual guide. There was a tape for each mood, but most importantly it was supposed to make you feel better, this was the message you told yourself over and over. Well fast forward to today, tape players are long gone; wow I can’t believe its over 15 years ago! Sure we have instant access to music anytime we want, and our library is limitless. You have access to any type of genre on something smaller than our old tape player, with much more capabilities. So ask yourself, when you need to feel good, what are you listening to, what is the voice in your head telling you, what’s the best of you?
If you’re like me, although I’m relatively positive person, I still struggle to tune out the loud “you can’t …” voice, and instead listen to the more quiet one, the one that picks you up after you’ve fallen, or the one who tells you you’re capable of more than you give yourself credit for. Just as you played your old mix-tape over and over, what thoughts are playing over and over in your head. Do you hear:
I’m not good enough …
I’m not skinny enough …
I’m not smart enough …
I don’t deserve …
Well it’s time to bring back the old mix-tape, time to play those positive encouraging tunes, the best of the best you have to offer. I’t s time to stop letting the loudest voice captivate our thoughts, especially if it’s the “you’re not …” It’s time to surround ourselves with positive and encouraging thoughts and people, the things that won’t criticize us when we’re down, but instead say “so what if you fell down, everyone falls down. Now let’s figure out how to pick you back up.” It’s time to surround ourselves with love, patience, mercy, hope, and positive encouragement. Yes the world is filled with all kinds of negative things, but do they have also come from our own heads?
LilPhilosopher 