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Christian Science Committee on Publication for Indiana - Media and Legislative Liaison

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Self-Esteem: You are loved by God by Ingrid Peschke for The Christian Science Monitor

January 31, 2017 By Sharon Vincz Andrews Leave a Comment

Sunset by David L. Horn

Self-image a little shaky? Need some self-esteem? We all want to feel that we’re loved. But sometimes relationships with family and friends disappoint. Where do we turn? My colleague, writing for the January 27, 2017 edition of the Christian Science Monitor, sites a character in a classic children’s book as a type of universal, unconditional love. She shares a practical example of the present and available non-fiction Love that we can all experience. Here’s Ingrid:

In the classic children’s story “Charlotte’s Web” by E.B. White, an unlikely friendship develops between a wise barn spider named Charlotte who shares her home with Wilbur, an unassuming pig. Wilbur loves life and is despondent when he learns that it might be cut short only to end up on a farmer’s breakfast plate. But things turn around when he wakes up each day to a new message spun into the web in the rafters above him, such as “some pig,” “humble,” and my personal favorite, “radiant.” The townsfolk are stumped by Charlotte’s work and attribute the phenomenon to divine intervention. Wilbur grows in self-esteem each day and ultimately his life is spared.

We all could use a friend like Charlotte, someone to tell us – and others – how valued we are and why our life is important. Imagine waking up each day to a banner above your head: “You’re amazing!” Those kinds of genuine affirmations of the gold in character often come from a parent, teacher, friend, or even a stranger, and point to the inherent goodness in each one of us.

Above all, though, God – divine Love itself – wants each of us to know just how loved we are. We see evidence of this in the Bible. For instance, God said….

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Choosing self-esteem over body image by Wendy Margolese for York Region.com

May 1, 2015 By Sharon Vincz Andrews Leave a Comment

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“Hey, fatty,” yells an unkind middle schooler on an Indiana playground (typically a high-ranked state for obesity) . “You can’t be too rich or too thin,” needlepoints Wallis Simpson on her famous cushion in the 1940s. In the last century,  the consumer-focused world has become obsessed with body image. That obsession can lead to low self-esteem and all the baggage that goes with it. My colleague, Wendy Margolese, writing for the April 26, 2015 edition of York Region.com helps us choose a mentally and spiritually healthy stance on body issues. Here’s Wendy:

The world’s self-esteem gets kicked up a notch.

France, the global fashion industry icon, has officially banned the super skinny model. Websites that incite excessive thinness are also banned. Lawmakers propose the new law will protect – from various eating disorders – not only the health of the models but also the health of all the young fans that want to imitate their look.

It’s also possible that, as ultra-thin body images become less prevalent, individuals who are suffering from low self-esteem tied to their body image, will find they feel better about themselves.

But this law may be a drop in the bucket when it comes to addressing the ills of poor self-image. Across all countries, studies show that more than two-thirds of women believe the media sets an unrealistic standard of beauty women can’t ever achieve. And men are not excluded – the ‘six-pack abs’ profile has spawned the male counterpart to chasing the ultimate ‘bod’ look. The mental health and eating disorders associated with body image and self-esteem are no respecters of gender.

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Self-Esteem: What If Nothing About You Needed Fixing? by Ingrid Peschke for HuffPost Religion

April 17, 2015 By Sharon Vincz Andrews Leave a Comment

@Glowimages
@Glowimages

Are you a fixer-upper? You know the drill: “If I could only lose ____ lbs.  If I could only be more loving. If I could just be more disciplined.” Maybe a healthy dose of self-esteem is in order. What if you woke up one morning and all your flaws had disappeared?  My colleague from Massachusetts, Ingrid Peschke, writing for the April 13, 2015 edition of HuffPost Religion, shares the story of a TV personality who listened to God and heard some good news about herself. She’ll encourage you to do the same. Here’s Ingrid:

Fixer Upper has taken HGTV by storm. It’s the popular home design show featuring Chip and Joanna Gaines, a dynamic and totally endearing couple from Waco, Texas who are known for taking the worst house on the best street and turning it into the house everyone wants.

A video recently circulated on my Facebook news feed featuring Joanna’s story of her inspiring trust in God’s direction for her life purpose. Judging from the number of repeat shares, I suspect my husband and I weren’t the only ones who got a bit misty-eyed after watching it.

Joanna describes her journey as an ongoing conversation with God, who she says has guided her work and success. Her story of faith helped me understand how she can repeatedly take neglected properties and revive them to become warm, inviting and beautiful spaces for individuals and families to call home. She says God has a purpose for everyone and the key is to deny the “enemy’s” attempt to stop you from pursuing your passion. The lies try to say “You can’t do it… You aren’t good enough… You won’t succeed…”, but they have no power when you stand up to them….

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“Be Yourself; Everyone Else is Already Taken” by Kate Johnson for Westminster Patch

January 30, 2015 By Sharon Vincz Andrews Leave a Comment

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Do you know who you are? Beyond “name, rank, and serial number?” Is your job, your neighborhood, your social group really the right fit for you? Can you really have authentic self-esteem if you aren’t really yourself? Many places, like my town here in Indiana, have “welcome wagons” or “newcomers clubs” to help recent arrivals to find their place in the community. The advice, “just be yourself” is often given when someone is about to apply for a new job, go of a first date, enroll in a new school, move to a new town. But what does that mean?  My colleague, Kate Johnson, writing for the January 28, 2015 edition of the Westminster Patch, helps us to see that each one of us is unique and occupies a unique place in the world. Here’s Kate: 

Finding the right “fit” – whether you’re a high school graduate looking for a university or you’re an employer looking for a new employee – is crucial to both our success and our health.

An NFL coach knew this well when he reminded a young recruit who was trying out for the team: “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken”. It helped the young man feel comfortable on the field, enabling the coaches – and him – to really judge whether he would be a good fit. And, the coach indicated, if he wasn’t hired, it didn’t mean he was a failure, it meant there was a better place for him. As it’s turned out, this particular player has made a great contribution to the team for a number of years.

This simple but profound idea – find the right fit – has become a mainstay in many communities –the mental health community, the business community, sports community and other settings where we might be tempted to be what others expect rather than ourselves….

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Self-Esteem? Don’t Let the Mirror Determine Yours! by Wendy Margolese for the Durham Region

August 8, 2014 By Sharon Vincz Andrews Leave a Comment

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 How’s your self-esteem today? Does what you see in the mirror have anything to do with who you really are? My friend, Wendy Margolese, writing for the Durham Region, in the August 6, 2014 edition, has good news for everyone, especially the “cosmetically challenged.”  Although universities departments of psychology all over the country, including here in Indiana, are studying the factors that raise or lower self-esteem, Wendy helps us to see that no matter what seems to be causing unhappiness with ourselves, there is a sure way to find relief from self-doubts and fears.  Here’s Wendy:

A new European marketing campaign is championing the “cosmetically challenged” fruits and vegetables that are often wasted because stores assume that no one will buy them. (In Canada, an estimated 25 million pounds of fresh produce is wasted every year.) Produce such as deformed carrots or apples fused together, thrown away by farmers as unsellable, are now on some produce aisles. Shoppers are appreciating fresh produce at discount prices.

As a result of the campaign, how the public perceives the misshapen beauties – not the produce itself – has changed.

The public perception of the standard of beauty – whether it is an apple or a woman – is modeled by what we see portrayed in the media. In the case of people, this is especially a result of the relentless critique of celebrities. The majority of women believe the media sets an unrealistic standard of beauty that most can never achieve.

The pressure to measure up to certain social or cultural ideals can lead to serious health issues – both mental and physical. And, how we perceive ourselves underlies and can alter our sense of self-esteem and the healthy or unhealthy behaviors we engage in as a result.

Yet, each of us has a choice…

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Welcome to Indiana!

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I'm Sharon Andrews. I look forward to conversations with you about the connection between health and consciousness. How does thinking affect the body? What makes us healthy? I am a Christian Science practitioner and the media and legislative liaison for Christian Science in the state of Indiana. I like travel, bicycling, organic gardening, and basketball!

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