Blog Hopping and the Voices in My Head.
11:51am. The beginning of nap/quiet time in my orbit.
There are about 2.2 million things on my 'to-do', of which I am eschewing in favor of satisfying creative hunger that makes me feel a little more human after I partake.
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Today, I have to say that I am struggling with feeling quite insecure.
It is the kind of insecurity that anyone with the blended Sanguine/ Choleric temperament can relate with.
The primary goal for the Choleric is to have Control. For the Sanguine, it is all about Approval (I WILL charm your socks off! You've just gotta love me. How could you not?!).
Both of which feed off interactions and responses of an 'audience'. Socializing energizes those with one or both of these personality styles, while for the Melancholy (who deeply desires Perfection) and the Phlegmatic (please, just give me Peace and Space!!!), the thought of a 'wine and dine' event with perfect strangers sends reverting back into the fetal position. (ok, maybe not..but they would seriously rather have a root canal).
All combinations of personalities have elements that offer this world amazing contributions...and then aspects that are messy to live with, for themselves and for those that live with them.
Today, this is what my personality is telling me as I took a few moments to do something I rarely make time to do: I blog-hopped. From one to another to another and then that one too. For the most part, I was enthused. But then I started hearing this conversation start sifting through my subconscious as I was putting away my dishes (that looked cloudy and unclean despite two washings):
The Choleric part of me: You shouldn't even have a blog! Everyone and their mother {who is a mother, wife, friend, daughter, human} already has one and already writes the same things you do, except with more skill and eloquence. And they write daily. And have 6 million followers, probably because they speak at big fancy conferences, where they have a book table in the lobby with their books that sound a lot like the one you've thought of writing. This is a competition and haven't even left the starting line. Silly little homemade blog!
The Sanguine Side of me: What a downer I am! Let's not dwell in such negative thinking! It's no fun at all! Look at the special friends you have met that you would not have had you no blog to speak of! Why don't you just look forward to that little blog makeover you scheduled last week! That will make you feel better. Let's see what's for lunch!
(It is way too easy to distract a Sanguine).
This 'conversation' does not just occur where my blog is concerned. WHEN I LET IT, it whispers into other parts of my life...like when I erroneously spend too much time on a certain 'social network site' and I see people looking their best, having a ball weekend after weekend and i begin to feel like a haggard little housewife with no smart social life to speak of or judge my parenting against the mother who seems to balance consistancy, crafting and canning with absolute ease (even though I KNOW "she" wouldn't say it was 'easy'. My mind tends to automatically 'fill-in-the-blanks' for people when i have one-sided conversations with them in my head).
And now that you are ready to run to your nearest white-straight-jacket provider in pursuit of one for a little lady living in a virtual Coffee Cottage of sorts who hears voices in her head, I am going to sign off.
You see, I do know these whisperings are erroneous. They've been whispering, and at times, shouting my entire life. I could be wrong, but I tend to think we all have our own set of voices that tell us what our personalities are prone to easily accept as 'truth', when in fact, they are lies straight from the pit of H-E-Double Hockey Sticks.
Here is to a refreshing afternoon coffee drink and a renewed mind!
Comments
And for the record, I am glad for MANY reasons that you have a blog- one of which being that I think I would never have the pleasure of meeting you without it.
i think it's odd too that i just typed out the same word this morning on my blog,(one of 2 million out there): APPROVAL.
read a quote this weekend~something like this, "the best way to get approval is to not need it..."
don't know if i'll ever get there, but i know freedom dwells nearby.
xoxo
When I read this I thought of a sermon my father gave in July when we visited his church to help celebrate his 40 years in the pastorate. His words challenged and encouraged me at just the right time. I'm going to attach it and hope you don't find me trying to "preach" at you. Rather, I know of no one who encouraged me better than my earthly father who has made it a habit to always turn my eyes back to the only real home, help and focus for this life. Of this message, I know you are already aware, but hope God will provide you some encouragement as He gave me through it. He gave the message to a man who I have seen struggle with the throws of wretched depression in his life and still find his joy in his loving creator. He also allowed this man to teach his daughter of Himself as she has struggled with similar issues.
I am refreshed by you and the honesty of your struggles. Although I greatly admire those in this world that seem to handle small and great mountains with a smile on their face and joy in their hearts, God has most often showed Himself to me through the broken vessels of this world. Those that speak of and show our human weakness and in return end up reflecting His greatness through it. If there is nothing to refine, than what is the refiner's fire for?
Here's the link:
http://www.howgoodisyourbalance.com/sermons/kbfc07_25_10.mp3
Thank you again friend!
I'm so glad to have found your blog. It really is one of several (including Janelle's!) that are my favorite. I don't have time for a lot of blog visitation, but yours is one where I'm ALWAYS refreshed, encouraged, humored, and feel normal! Thanks for your honesty, but please keep writing!! :))
love love
or, did you not ask us to do that, and i just instinctively did because of how heartily i agree with what you have written here?
thank you SOOO MUCH for posting this blog! (i still haven't figured out how to "subscribe" to your blog, but) i read it as often as i can. today it was ESPECIALLY encouraging and probably GOD-inspired & providential for me!!!! i had a rough weekend with my own schizophrenic thoughts.... sometimes thinking i'm the only one almost losing it, so it's nice to know i'm not! thanks for being so honest & sharing, and for helping us all have some levity & encouragement in the Lord! :D
blessings!
allison ponsell
this makeover you just gave your blog is AWESOME!!
love it!!
LOVE.
WITH.
YOUR.
BLOG.
xoxoxoxoxo
my cheeks hurt from smiling the last 5 minutes staring at all the details.
love you!!!
I saw the pictures of your DAY and could only shake my head in a feeling of mutal pain. I hope you don't see a bathroom like that in a long while. Hey, I can wish! Thanks for sharing those ones.
God bless, friend, I too am thankful we were able to "meet" because of the blog world.
I love the new look for your blog, and I must also comment that I love your blog. I know what you mean about "comparing." I think we all suffer from feeling different about ourselves when we peek into the lives and situations of others. Though I often forget this, the truth is that we never really know what someone's situation is, so to think theirs is so much better than ours is often a mistake or misjudgement.
You write beautifully and your blog reflects you. Both you and your mom are sincere and quality people, and I can just tell this from your blogs. I am inspired by both of you, so know that at the Coffee Cottage, you're our celebrity and we adore you:)
Best,
Debi in MN