The self-talk you engage in regularly is often unkind.
You beat yourself up,
Hold yourself to unrealistic standards,
And focus on how to always be better.
You can tune into this voice and acknowledge these thoughts with mindfulness.
You can also learn to tune into the things you like about yourself.
Even if they aren't obvious in every moment,
There are parts of you that you like.
In this exercise,
You will bring your awareness to these aspects of yourself to offer a more complete picture of who you are.
Close the eyes and find a comfortable posture in which to sit.
Bring your awareness to the sensation of the body breathing.
You can focus on the chest,
Abdomen,
Or nostrils.
For the first few minutes,
Allow the mind to settle and focus by returning your attention to the breath as many times as necessary.
Once the mind has settled,
Begin by bringing something to mind that you appreciate about yourself.
Start with the body.
Ask yourself what you like about your body.
Pause to appreciate it for a moment.
It may be a physical feature like your hair or skin,
Or it may be a quality like strength or flexibility.
As something arises,
Stay with the experience of liking this part of yourself for a few breaths.
After a minute or two of working with the body,
Switch to the mind.
Look at the qualities of your brain and emotional experience.
Ask yourself what you appreciate about your brain,
Your insight,
And your personality.
Again,
Simply be with the appreciation when something arises.
For the last few minutes,
Focus on the five traditional senses,
Sight,
Smell,
Taste,
Hearing,
And touch.
Go through each sense,
Recognizing the beauty and pleasure these senses have brought you.
For example,
Recognize that your sense of hearing has allowed you to hear the voice of a loved one.
The sense of touch has allowed you to feel the comfort of a hug.
Be with each sense,
What gifts it brings you,
And the appreciation.
