The Power of Self-Perception

Affirmation

I AM… the beauty

or ugliness inside my

thoughts. So, choose wisely.

Copyright © 2020 by Bill Holmes.

All rights reserved.

I remember writing the above haiku in January 2020 and thinking how powerful or destructive our thoughts can be when we use them to describe ourselves. I have no trouble admitting this was problematic for me having suffered from both low self-esteem and depression during my adolescent and early adulthood. That led me to harboring some disturbing thoughts that affected my mood and to sink deeper into my mental health issues. If you asked me 15 to 30 years ago to describe myself using the phrase “I am,” my list would include the following items:

1. I am not that great of a writer.

2. I am a procrastinator who is afraid of being successful.

3. I am a lazy person who is lucky to have made it this far in life.

4. I am a depressed person who will be this way for the rest of my life.

5. I am foolish to believe I could succeed in my creative endeavors.

6. I am a selfish person who only cares about himself.