A brief meditation on self-acceptance.

Sometimes we can over-identify with the labels that we give ourselves to help us with a sense of being in this world. When we rely on these labels for our sense of self, they can create harmful effects in our lives. We can compare ourselves to others, need to constantly have our labels affirmed, and become resistant to change because we rely on a self-image we need to protect. 

This week try to pay closer attention to what you’re experiencing at the moment. Try to experience the present moment with all the sights, sounds, feelings, etc. This will help you experience yourself moment by moment and not define yourself solely by the stories and labels you give yourself.

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Use the following affirmation to remind yourself that you have the strength to accomplish your goals. Repeat whenever you need to reestablish confidence in achieving your goals. 

Affirmation:

I am worthy of my dreams,

I have the strength within me to accomplish my goals, 

The courage of the Lion, 

Roars within me,

To face any struggle on this journey,

I rise to the challenge,

To become the best parts of me.  

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Sometimes we can be more focused on improving weaknesses that we forget about our strengths. So what are you good at? Make a list of strengths that you have. Identify one strength and do an activity surrounding it. 

Maybe you’re a great cook, then cook something unique! Perhaps you’re an excellent meme maker. Make those memes. Maybe you’re hilarious. Tell the world all your dad jokes! Whatever it is, try to do it for the enjoyment and not simply to accomplish anything. Then reflect on how using your strengths makes you feel. And how you can focus more on your strengths daily. 

Listen to the following affirmation to remind yourself that you can persevere through any life challenge. You can recite this to yourself whenever you need it. 

I am a mountain, 

Tall and strong,

Unmoved by the storms of life,

I am grounded,

Not shifted by the waves of change,

Through all seasons, 

I remain the same,

For I am a mountain,

Tall and strong. 

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The strength of bravery helps us build resilience as we face and overcome challenges. 

Think of an area in your life where you could practice more bravery. Maybe it’s a fear you’ve never confronted. Maybe you want to have more courage in speaking up for yourself. You could be facing a difficult time in your life right now, and practicing bravery can help you push through this difficulty. Whatever the situation is, use the strength of bravery to face your fears or confronting adversity this week. Then reflect on how you felt when you used bravery in that situation. 

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Throughout our day, our minds can have all sorts of negative judgments about people, groups, experiences, etc. Negative judgments can affect our moods and emotions and cause us to have even more negative judgments and feelings. It can create a ripple effect. 

This week when you have a negative judgment about something, try to reframe it less negatively. Maybe someone forgot to call you when they said they were, instead of thinking that person doesn’t like or love you, try to reframe it as maybe that person just forgot or they had a lot going on, and it had nothing to do with you. Try to see things from a more objective perspective and not so white and black. Also, be gentle with yourself and try not to judge yourself for having these negative judgments.

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This week, we will focus on bringing mindfulness to our daily life by bringing more awareness to everyday activities. 

Throughout our day, we can be on autopilot, not paying attention to the present moment. Activities we do every day we don’t even think about in the process of doing them. 

Pick one activity that you do every day. It could be eating, driving, walking, brushing your teeth, etc. Now bring more awareness to that activity. If you’re eating, it could be slowing down and tasting every bite of your food. If walking, it could be noticing your foot as it lifts and makes contact with the ground. Whatever it is, take one part of an activity and pay closer attention to it. This will help bring more awareness in our everyday life and help our minds not be so attached to our thoughts, judgments, and feelings. 

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