Do you ever feel like you do not appreciate yourself enough? Do you appreciate your body for everything it does for you daily? Do you appreciate your mind for how smart you are and for holding all the wonderful memories throughout the years? Do you appreciate your soul for how kind and compassionate you are?
I do not appreciate myself enough. Even more so now that I am a mom. It has been hard to put myself first and listen to my body's needs.
I have been doing a lot of thinking and some reading about how to appreciate myself, holistically. I recently read the book Deeply Holistic* by Pip Waller, where I started exploring this topic.
In the book, there is an exercise on "Saying Hello to Yourself." This exercise enables you to become more aware of yourself by acknowledging parts of your body, one by one, for everything they do for you. Start off looking at your hands "these are your hands, with you from the beginning of your life" then, continue by holding your hands, and thanking them. The exercise continues with acknowledging your tongue, your face, your eyes, your bones, your muscles, your heart, your lungs, and your digestive system. All by placing your hand over these areas, saying "Hello" and acknowledging them for how hard they work for you.
The first time I did this exercise I felt silly, but it made me smile! I have kept doing this as often as I can remember or whenever I need some extra love for myself. I am starting to appreciate this exercise more.
Another exercise the book goes through is "Loving Yourself." You start with your eyes closed in front of a mirror, then open them. Look into your eyes and notice how you feel when you do this. While looking deep into your eyes, say "[Your Name], I like you and I always will. I love you, and I always will. You are beautiful just as you are." Repeat a few times and notice how it feels. Do this exercise every day, multiple times a day, or any time you are in front of a mirror.
The first time I did this exercise, it was a little weird, talking to myself, but I enjoyed looking deeply into my eyes. This one has been tough for me to stick to, but I do at least try to look into my eyes every time I see myself in the mirror.
I am learning that it is important we take the time to appreciate our bodies, mind, and soul for everything they do for us. The next time your body does something new or something great, make note of it. Appreciate it!
The next time you use your mind, for example, when you think of something creative, complete a goal, pass a test, or simply, when you remember the name of that one song you cannot get out of your head. Make note of it, appreciate it! Your mind works hard for you.
The next time you do something nice for someone else, stand up for someone, show compassion. Make note of it, appreciate it!
I could go on and on with the list of amazing things we do that we can appreciate daily. It is easy to ignore these things, and some of us have a constant struggle to show some appreciation for ourselves. But, again, it is important to appreciate and love ourselves, holistically.
I am learning lots of new tips and tricks as I go through my health and wellness journey. I will be sharing more; come along and join me!
This is me at 32 weeks pregnant last year. I have not quite loved myself as much as I did when I was pregnant. I loved myself and all the love I was carrying inside me.
Our bodies are amazing!
For your reference: Deeply Holistic: A Guide to Intuitive Self-Care--Know Your Body, Live Consciously, and Nurture Your Spirit by Pip Waller
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