I’m so fat. I’m not very pretty. She has it all together–why can’t I be more like her? It is easy to plunge into self-pity and self-loathing. We look at others and, for some insane reason, we see perfection. We see beauty. And when we do not see perfection, that is okay. We accept them for who they are. Why then do we struggle to do the same for ourselves? Today I want to discuss how you can accept yourself by leading your life with mindful purpose.
Meditation
First, take the time to meditate. April May, from the blog called The Bliss Fix, shares her meditation mantra when negativity gets her down: “I am at peace with who I am.” Take a moment to breathe deeply. In and out. In and out. Once you have found your breath, focus on that mantra. Reflect on your thoughts and feelings of the moment without embracing them, almost as if you were observing them from afar.
Then comes the difficult part: do not judge yourself. Admit your weaknesses and shortcomings and then accept them as part of you.
“I am always late to my meetings, but that’s okay. I am at peace with who I am.”
“My weight is on the heavier side of the spectrum, but that’s fine. I am at peace with who I am.”
Let your acceptance of yourself fill you.
Living in Mindful Meditation
This is not be a one time deal or, in some cases, once a day. As you embrace this mantra, “I am at peace with who I am,” then live it. Every time an insecurity attacks you, instead of allowing it to beat you down and hiding your head in shame, love it. It is part of who you are now at this very moment and that is okay.
As you come to accept yourself, then it will be easier to turn those weaknesses of which you have accepted as part of you into strengths. Acceptance does not mean that they are excused, only that you no longer have to beat yourself up over them. Instead of placing all of your energy into these negative thoughts, you emit the positive energy of love and acceptance. Is it easier to change when someone criticizes your every attempt and puts you down, or when someone lovingly encourages you and accepts you every time you fail?
Stop beating yourself up over your weaknesses. Lead your life with mindful purpose by accepting yourself for who you are now, not who you want to be. That will still come, but for now, take the time to love yourself and you will be amazed at the difference it makes. Contact us for more ideas on living everyday with mindful purpose.
