Friday, April 02, 2004
Appreciating Yourself

How often do you compare yourself to others?
How often do you complain about yourself?
How often do you appreciate yourself?
How often do you thank God for who you are?
How often do you feel proud of yourself?

Until today, I've yet to learn to appreciate myself. Feeling inferior most of the time, I never did appreciate who I am. Condemning every single inch of myself is how I give thanks to the Creator, the Alpha and Omega. Sinful isn't it? I was borne with complete and healthy body system and yet I say such things. I have roof on my head, food on my table, clothes to wear, education, friends (little in quantity but indescribable in quality), this this that that but why am I still not contented? I always want more and more and more, better and better and better... (so called self-improvement) .. Is it wrong to be complacent? To what extend contentment will restrain us from achieving more in life? How do you draw a line between being complacent and appreciative? Later did I realise that the only way for people to appreciate you is by YOU appreciating yourself first. (I could be wrong here but people tend to take things for granted). I confide in no one but myself during moments of difficulty and sadness. I listen to no one but myself. I like the phrase 'swallow your own sorrow and bite your own bitterness' but it's getting too harsh at times. I practice self-blame ever since God knows when and it's high time that I should stop...yet it's always easier to be said than done... Self-blame will only eat away your self-esteem...Enough of that.. How bout looking at HOW TO LOVE YOURSELF?

How to Love Yourself by Louise Hay
http://www.seamless-web.net/howto.htm

1. Stop all criticism: Criticism never changes a thing. Refuse to criticize yourself. Accept yourself exactly as you are. Everybody changes. When you criticize yourself, your changes are negative. When you approve of yourself, your changes are positive.

2. Don't scare yourself: Stop terrorizing yourself with your thoughts. It's a dreadful way to live. Find a mental image that gives you pleasure (mine is yellow roses), and immediately switch your scary thought to a pleasure thought.

3. Be gentle and kind and patient: Be gentle with yourself. Be kind to yourself. Be patient with yourself as you learn the new ways of thinking. Treat yourself as you would someone you
really loved.

4. Be kind to your mind: Self-hatred is only hating your own thoughts. Don't hate yourself for having the thoughts. Gently change the thoughts.

5. Praise yourself: Criticism breaks the inner spirit. Praise builds it up. Praise yourself as much as you can. Tell yourself how well you are doing with every little thing.

6. Support yourself: Find ways to support yourself. Reach out to friends, and allow them to help you. It is being strong to ask for help when you need it.

7. Be loving to your negatives: Acknowledge that you created them to fulfill a need. Now you are finding new, positive ways to fulfill those needs. So. lovingly release the old negative patterns.

8. Take care of your body: Learn about nutrition. What kind of fuel does your body need to have optimum energy and vitality? Learn about exercise. What kind of exercise can you enjoy? Cherish and revere the temple you live in.

9. Mirror work: Look into your own eyes often. Express this growing sense of love you have for yourself. Forgive yourself looking into the mirror. Talk to your parents looking into the mirror. Forgive them, too. At least once a day, say: "I love you, I really love you!"

10. LOVE YOURSELF - DO IT NOW! Don't wait until you get well or lose the weight, or get the new job, or find the new relationship. Begin NOW - do the best you can.

I like number 9 though. I should go infront of the mirror and say 'I LOVE YOU' every morning instead of 'YOU bLOODY WALKING TRIGLYCERIDES!!'

Have a nice day peeps. ;)

n-g || 6:10 pm || ||
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