Believe in yourself to be all you can be

"For as he thinks in his heart so is he…"

- Proverbs 23:7 (AMP)

"I'll never amount to anything. I am a nobody. Nobody likes me. I'm just born to be this way." We often hear thoughts like these roaming around in our head.

These are a collection of thoughts we have formed throughout our lives and have come to believe as true. They may have developed due to our environmental influences or circumstances that have happened to us.

Oftentimes, we allow other people to determine our self-worth by listening to their negative words. We buy into all these statements and start to believe we won't amount to anything. Then we begin to see the power of this belief manifest itself in our lives by our failure to fulfill our dreams.

Other times, we tend to focus on our flaws and inadequacies and forget to believe that God can do things in our lives above and beyond them. Many children don't go out for sports or achieve in school for this very reason.

The Bible explains that what a man thinks about himself can determine his outcome. Many Bible heroes and heroines prove this to be true. Rahab was a harlot. She gave up that lifestyle and became a pivotal point in the family bloodline of Christ.

Esther exchanged her life as a peasant girl to become queen. I'm sure both of these women had to change the way they saw themselves in order to rise above their previous lifestyles.

How we view ourselves will mold and shape our future for success or failure. Negative beliefs keep us from being all that God planned for us to be.

With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can work to exchange out negative thoughts for ones of determination and truth, such as God loves me and he has a good plan for my life. These are thoughts that will help us to succeed.

A positive outlook is the key to successful living. By allowing God's truth to correct our attitudes, we can rise above limitations.

• Annettee Budzban is a Christian author, speaker, life coach and nurse. She is available for speaking at your group or event. Join her at Panera Bread in Round Lake Beach July 23 at 7 p.m. She can be contacted at Annetteebudzban@aol.com or (847) 543-8413.