When You Just Get It

I just got home from a fantastic Relief Society meeting tonight.
It was titled "Choose To Become" which kinda intrigued me, but since I'm in Primary with teh little tackers these days I was craving some adult spiritual conversation, so I was so there! (Plus it was only one suburb over from where I live...)
My sister-in-law organized it and bot is she full of the spirit. I just feel like when I'm talking to her, or rather when she is talking to me, it just all makes sense. Like she really understands and applies the Gospel, she can see things on a different level to everyone else and it just blows me away! When I was younger (she married my brother when I was 12/13 so she's pretty much always been around) I used to think she was too serious, but now I realize that she's not serious, shes intune! Hopefully this weekend i'll be sleeping at her place for a night... I'm so stoked for it!
Anyways, back to tonight, "Choose To Become", well, become what exactly? To become who we want to be!
I know that seems pretty straight forward and obvious, but She really broke it down wonderfully!
She discussed self-talk or "ants" which is "automatic negative thoughts" which we all have, and how we don't even realize we are doing it, because it'sa automatic. For example, in my job, I am moving into a new role, which is exciting but also nerve-racking, questions like "will I be good enough?" "Do I even know what I'm doing?" "Will I reach my targets?" "Can I even learn this much in this timeframe?" and with these questions come these thoughts... "I'm not good enough." "why did they pick me, I can't even make target." "It's overwhelming, I can't do it." "I'm not on my client's level, I don't understand them" all this negative talk is going on in my head and I didn't even realize untill tonight.
It was discussed how we can turn these negative thoughts into positives and re-train ourselves into believing positive thoughts nad ultimately becoming those positive thoughts. And coupling this with earnest prayer to Heavenly Father on our own individual self worth will bring us a sense of peace, motivation and understanding... Personally, I am all for peace, motivation and understanding!
She showed us what she has been doing recently to combat her feelings of doubt, anxiety and low self-esteem.

In this little bag we have 8 pieces of paper, 8 heart stickers and chocolate... the chocolate goes without saying, it's a daily requirement. But what we were challenged to do is to recognize our "ants" and turn them into power statements using the words "I AM" or "I CAN" rather than "I will" or "I should". Making these positive thoughts become "here and now" so we can visualize them in our heads, so we can see them and feel them.
For example. an "ant" may be that I feel I am unattractive to my husband for whatever reason, a positive power statement may be that "I am a beautiful and attractive woman to my Husband and I love him with an unbreakable bond" or somethign along those lines.
The next step is to seal these statements with real intent (the heart sticker) and every morning and every night to read them out loud to yourself. Yes, you may feel like a doofus to start but perservere! Saying things, not just thinking them often brings a sense of reality to the words and by saying them morning and night, you are prompting yourself to be those things.
I really connected with the lesson. I feel that self-doubt, low morale, feelings of being overwhelmed, all those negative thoughts, they all really stack up against you and they do tear you down. Maybe not all at once, but slowly over time, and these little power statements combined with prayer, really can influence our lives for the better.
Heavenly Father wants to help us, if we ask him to help us be better people, to love harder, to be stronger, to understand clearer, there is nothing to hold us back from asking for his help so long as it is righteous. And if it is, he will not hold back if we ask. I know this to be 100% true... If we reach out to him, for his love, to know of his love for us, he will show us. He wants too. And often, self-confidence can stop us from talking to him "oh he won't mind if I skip my prayers this one time" or "why does he want to hear from me, it's only me" these thoughts can stop us from seeking him out, as silly as it sounds. And these power statements can help us seek him...
I'm going to give them a try, I've got nothing to lose... Only something to gain...
So please excuse me whilst I go away and work out my worst thoughts and combat them with powerful, meaningful positive ones... I'll let you know how I go.