Smile – You’re X-ceptional
Stop what you’re doing right now and walk right up to the mirror and repeat after me: I AM X-CEPTIONAL! I AM X-TRAORDINARY! I AM X-CITING! I LOVE MYSELF! Now was that so hard??? For so many of us, yes it is. It’s hard to really feel good about ourselves, to really love the person looking back at us from the mirror. We may think to ourselves, “I’m not good enough.” I’m not pretty enough, not thin enough, not smart enough, and on and on and on.
I’m telling you right here and right now you are loveable and wonderful and exceptional just as you are. Need some help convincing yourself? Let’s go through some easy (ok, maybe not so very easy) steps together:
1. Stop criticizing yourself. When you hear yourself saying something bad about yourself, yell “Cancel!” It will be a wake up call to think or say something good about yourself.
2. Stop “Should-ing” on yourself. Next time you think you “should” be doing something, change it to “I could be doing . . . “ It’s freeing to make choices and to not be “should-ing” all over yourself all the time.
3. Stop comparing yourself to other people. Yes, some people do have more than others. It will always be that way on some level. If you have food in the frig and a roof over your head, you’re doing well. If you have a computer and the ability to read this post, you’re probably better off than 95% of the people in the world.
4. Celebrate your successes. Even if it’s just something little and insignificant, congratulate yourself on the accomplishment. You got up this morning – Yay! You turned on the computer – Yippee! You wrote 100 words on your blog – Hip Hip Hooray! Little successes add up and inspire you on to bigger ones.
5. Hang around with positive people who support you. Nothing drags a person down more than spending time with negative Nellies or judgmental people.
6. Do what you love. Find your passion. Indulge your desires. (If you crave chocolate, go ahead and eat one piece if it will make you happy – we don’t want to go overboard on some things – see previous post – M is for Mindful Munching)
7. Forgive and forget. Everybody makes mistakes. We’re only human. Learn from your mistakes and move on. Forgive other people for their mistakes too.
8. Help someone else. It’s hard to be depressed and sad about your own lot in life when you are bringing joy into someone else’s life.
9. Appreciate yourself for who you truly are. Allow yourself to feel your emotions. If you’re sad, feel sad. If you’re happy, give yourself permission to really feel happy. Shakespeare was right when he said, “To thine own self, be true.”
10. Put some joy into your life. Relax a little (get a massage, take a bath). Laugh a lot (watch a funny movie, play with a puppy). Express your gratitude (see previous post G is for Gratitude).
And now go back to that mirror, lift up the corners of your mouth and do the one thing that will really make you feel wonderful – SMILE, SMILE, SMILE!!!
