I Respect Myself

We all struggle with self-respect and judgment sometimes. In this meditation, you'll let go of worries, let go of stress, and let go of judgmental and disrespectful thoughts about yourself. Instead, you'll replace them with positive affirmations as you focus on your breath and visualizing a safe and loving happy place. Use this meditation to improve your self-respect, stop judging yourself, and find a deeper love for yourself.

Transcript

Welcome to the I Respect Myself guided meditation.

Find a comfortable,

Quiet place where you can relax and sit in a position in which you feel the most comfortable.

Your body should be upright but loose,

So shake yourself out a little if you feel as though you are sitting too rigidly.

Then place your hands in your lap and your feet on the floor if you choose to sit in a chair.

When you are ready,

Close your eyes.

Pay attention to your breath.

Start with a deep inhalation and feel yourself relax as you exhale.

With every inhale,

You invite relaxation and with every exhale,

You purge negativity.

You have no worries.

You have no concerns.

If any negative thoughts creep into your mind,

Simply swipe them away.

They do not have a place here.

They are not welcome.

Instead focus on right now.

Feel the sensation of breath as it passes in through your nostrils and out through your lips.

Now focus on the area of your body where you feel your breath the most.

Now,

Pay attention to your stomach.

Is it contracted or tight?

If it is,

Take another deep breath and release it.

Your hands are softening with each breath.

Your shoulders relax with each breath.

Your face,

Throat and jaw loosen with each breath.

As you continue to breathe,

You sense everything around you.

You exist only in this moment.

You are here now.

Your attention is on your breath.

Shift your focus to where you feel it the clearest.

Is it your chest or abdomen rising and falling?

Pay attention to the area of your body that expands and contracts with each breath.

Feel the tingle in your nostrils.

Is it your chest or abdomen rising and falling?

Now,

Let's shift your focus instead to the sounds and the environment around you.

Tune into the silence.

What sounds come and go?

Just listen.

Now,

Choose an object to use as an anchor for your attention.

It might be the sounds around you.

It could be the breath in your chest,

Nose,

Mouth,

Or abdomen.

Simply choose an object that feels the most interesting to you.

Just one.

And there is no wrong answer.

Now,

Choose an object that feels the most interesting to you.

Now,

Choose an object that feels the most interesting to you.

Now,

Notice your belly rising and falling.

Feel your chest expand and contract with every breath.

Feel the air passing through your body and the sounds that it makes.

I want you to stay with the breathing sensations.

We are going to focus on breath after breath,

Simply staying with it as best you can as you feel your breath.

When your mind wanders,

And it will,

Label those thoughts.

With each thought that enters your consciousness,

Use a word like wondering,

Thinking,

Or questioning to return your focus back to your breathing.

Do this again and again until your focus has been returned.

This is important for today's meditation because self-judgment shows a lack of self-respect.

And I want you to recognize it when it happens so you can correct it.

If a judgmental thought appears,

Label it as criticism,

Self-judgment,

Whichever word makes the most sense for you.

I want this to help guide you in realizing the frequency with which you judge yourself.

Remember,

It isn't personal.

You did not plan to make yourself feel bad.

It's just a natural occurrence when you struggle with respecting yourself.

Negative words and voices in your mind can be frequent.

Do not give them space to breathe.

Simply label them and return your attention to the breath.

Pay attention to your breath.

Inhale deeply.

Exhale deeper.

With every inhale,

You invite relaxation.

With every exhale,

You purge negativity.

You have no worries.

You have no concerns.

Inhale relaxation.

Exhale tension.

Inhale calm.

Exhale tension.

Breathe slowly,

Gently,

Deeply.

With every breath,

Your state of relaxation deepens.

You are more at peace and more relaxed.

Now I'd like you to paint a picture in your mind.

Imagine as best you can,

Somewhere you feel entirely safe and at ease.

It might be a picture that you've seen or your favorite place to visit.

It might be your own bedroom.

It might be entirely imagined.

Picture yourself in this place,

Feeling happy and calm.

As best you can,

Visualize the smells,

Sights,

And sounds of your imaginary place.

How does it make you feel physically?

You are completely comfortable here.

Enjoy the safety and relaxation you feel in this place.

Remain here for the duration of this meditation.

As I offer you the following affirmations.

Repeat after me and believe that in this moment,

They are true.

I value who I am.

I appreciate myself.

I am in harmony with myself.

Every human being has value and I am a valuable person.

I deserve happiness.

I deserve relaxation.

I embrace happiness.

I enjoy my contentment.

All of these affirmations are true.

In this moment right now,

I value the truth of these affirmations.

Take a deep inhale and a deeper exhale.

With every inhale,

You invite relaxation.

With every exhale,

You purge negativity.

You have no worries.

You have no concerns.

Inhale relaxation.

Exhale tension.

Inhale calm.

Exhale tension.

Continue to repeat these affirmations.

When my mood dips,

I accept those emotions and understand that this will pass.

Through bad times,

I look forward to better times and know that I will be happy again.

My future is positive and bright.

I enjoy the present while looking forward to a happy future.

I can look on past memories with fondness.

I forgive myself for every mistake I make.

We all make mistakes,

And though I once felt regret,

I can let go of my regrets.

I am a good person,

And I let go of regret.

I have learned from my mistakes,

And I am moving on.

I am done with suffering and embrace freedom.

I let go of past mistakes and move on to do good things.

I embrace forgiveness.

I feel good about the person I am today.

I accept myself for who I am.

I embrace my flaws just as strongly as I do my strengths.

A deep inhalation and a deeper exhalation.

With every inhalation,

You invite relaxation,

And with every exhalation,

You purge negativity.

You have no worries.

You have no concerns.

Inhale relaxation.

Exhale tension.

Inhale calm.

Exhale tension.

My shortcomings are simply opportunities.

Waiting is not a weakness,

But a strength.

I will develop new strengths.

I face challenges with strength.

I will do the best I can in every situation.

I will give all of my effort.

I will focus on the right things.

I don't have to be perfect.

I am a flawed human being,

But I can accept my imperfections and offer my best efforts regardless.

I am secure in myself and will not compare myself to the people around me.

The strengths I need are within me and I can develop them.

Take a deep inhale.

Exhale deeper.

With every inhalation,

You invite relaxation.

With every exhalation,

You purge negativity.

You have no worries.

You have no concerns.

Inhale relaxation.

Exhale tension.

Inhale calm.

Exhale tension.

I am a positive character.

I have the strength to succeed.

I practice self-acceptance.

I practice self-compassion.

I practice self-respect.

I love myself.

I will take time for myself.

I will enjoy that time.

I deserve that time.

I feel positive about taking time for myself regularly.

When faced with difficulty,

I manage it with grace.

When I experience negative emotions,

I express them just as I do positive emotions.

I am perfect as is.

I accept me as I am.

I value myself as a human being.

I am valuable.

I am confident.

I accept myself as I am.

I am secure in myself.

A deep inhalation and a deeper exhalation.

With every inhalation,

You invite relaxation.

And with every exhalation,

You purge negativity.

You have no worries.

You have no concerns.

Inhale relaxation.

Exhale tension.

Inhale calm.

Exhale tension.

I repeat these affirmations after me.

I set boundaries.

I enforce my boundaries.

I am not a doormat.

I am a strong,

Confident person.

I make my own decisions.

I believe in myself.

I believe in my abilities.

I believe in my decisiveness.

A deep inhalation and a deeper exhalation.

With every inhalation,

You invite relaxation.

And with every exhalation,

You purge negativity.

You have no worries.

You have no concerns.

Inhale relaxation.

Exhale tension.

Inhale calm.

Exhale tension.

What reason do you have for lacking self-respect?

What reason do you give for not loving yourself?

Forget it.

This is a hard reset.

You're starting from scratch.

This is your freedom.

Your mind feels lighter now that you have let go of negative thoughts.

You feel nourished by the positive vibes you have embraced.

You do not need to search for love.

You do not need to hunt for self-respect.

Both are inside of you.

It is hiding beneath the surface.

It's covered by schedules,

Concerns,

Worries,

Negative conceptions,

And social masks.

Open yourself and allow your love and self-respect to shine.

Follow their guidance.

You are balanced.

You are serene.

You are prepared to use the fertile soil of your soul to deepen your self-respect.

Today is the day to tear down your walls and be vulnerable with yourself.

A deep inhalation and a deeper exhalation.

With every inhalation,

You invite relaxation.

And with every exhalation,

You purge negativity.

You have no worries.

You have no concerns.

Inhale relaxation.

Exhale tension.

Inhale calm.

Exhale tension.

Release loneliness.

Release insecurity.

Release discomfort.

Heal emotional wounds.

Embrace gratitude.

Practice kindness.

You are your friend.

With everything you do,

You do with love.

With every challenge,

You force your wings to spread a little wider and you fly a little higher.

You grow stronger.

You grow better.

You grow more confident.

Inhale relaxation.

Exhale tension.

Inhale calm.

Exhale tension.

Picture your peaceful place again.

Picture yourself in the calming environment you created for yourself.

Acknowledge the positive emotions that stemmed from the affirmations you just spoke aloud.

Accept all emotions,

Whether negative or positive,

That you are feeling.

Allow yourself the opportunity to enjoy the peace and calm they have brought.

In this place,

You feel confident.

You embrace who you are as a person.

You are strong.

You are powerful.

You deeply respect the gifts,

Skills,

Talents,

Abilities,

And traits you possess.

You respect your ability to develop the skills you lack.

You respect your ability to grow.

You respect the effort you give.

You respect yourself.

It's time to leave your peaceful place.

But remember that you can return to it whenever you need to.

Hold on to the feeling of security,

Safety,

And self-respect you have experienced.

Take them with you as you finish your day.

As I count to three,

It's time to stretch yourself back into the present and continue your day.

Alternatively,

You may want to drift into a pleasant and relaxing sleep.

One,

I want you to take a deep,

Slow,

And cleansing breath.

Exhale deeply.

Two,

Another deep breath in before exhaling slowly.

Three,

You are calm.

You are confident.

You are refreshed.