Many of us have taken the time out to express our gratitude to others, but very few of us have really invested the energy in focusing on what we are grateful for in ourselves. When was the last time you took time to thank yourself?
If you’re like me, it’s much more natural and comfortable to thank others than it is to stop and thank yourself. That can feel indulgent, ridiculous, and unnecessary – why thank myself for doing the things I have to do? Here’s why – writing a thank-you letter to yourself can help you see how far you’ve come. It can remind you of the things you’ve overcome and how much you’ve grown. It can highlight qualities you possess but don’t necessarily think about all the time, and it can also highlight what matters to you, what you’re passionate about, and what you dream of in the most sacred part of your soul. Writing a thank-you letter to yourself is an opportunity to pause, reflect, accept, and appreciate who you are and where you’ve been while providing inspiration for moving forward and continued growth. While this practice is simple, there is nothing easy about it. This is a powerful exercise and not something to be undertaken lightly. But the insights are truly profound and well-worth the effort. How to Write a Thank-You Letter to Yourself
Be gentle with yourself as you do this exercise. Tears may be shed as past hurts are revisited, losses are acknowledged, and you’re confronted with proof of just how much you’ve been through and how hard you’ve worked. Growth should be celebrated, and you deserve to be reminded of how unique and wonderful you truly are. Take time today to practice gratitude and give yourself the appreciation you deserve.
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Self-worth is simply defined as the level of importance you place on yourself. It is an emotional outlook that determines how and what you feel about yourself in comparison to other people.
Self-worth is a fundamental part of our being, and it controls the way we see ourselves. Everything we think about, all the emotions we feel, and even the way we act is a product of what value we place on ourselves by ourselves. What is Self-Worth? It can be somewhat overwhelming to see yourself for who “you really are” without the assets or dream job or friends. Everyone has a mental picture of who they want to be. It’s okay to have ambitions and life goals, but never let your dreams make you deny yourself. Self-denial is an enemy to self-worth. The Importance of Self-Worth The best part about recognising self-worth is seeing the practical impact it has on your behaviour. Self-worth affects the things you do and the choices you make. You start rejecting anything that has a negative effect on your outlook on life, and you become more open to things crafted to make you a better person. Self-worth is what keeps you satisfied even if all your achievements, assets, and possessions are taken away from you. The moment you reach healthy levels of self-worth, life becomes much more meaningful. Strength in self-worth comes from finding qualities you excel at. These qualities will be a constant reminder whenever you start feeling like you are not worthy enough. Little things like a list of your talents, things you like about yourself that make you stand out, challenges you’ve won at, how you’ve helped other people, and other great reflections are examples of questions you should have answers to. Your strength lies in those questions. How To Start Increasing Your Self-Worth On your journey to recognise self-worth, never compare yourself to anyone. By comparison, you rob yourself of self-awareness and block your chances of seeing your strong potential. Comparison only measures your worth by other people’s standards. Here are some practical ways to build self-worth:
It is crucial for everyone to lead healthy lives physically, emotionally, socially, mentally, and otherwise, by evaluating our self-worth. We have to consciously take steps to build and develop our sense of regard for each other and, more importantly, for ourselves. Healthy self-worth is a source of deep and lasting satisfaction in life. With life more overwhelming than ever it has never been more important to recognise yourself as you are, right now. To be grateful, to celebrate your individual story and applaud how far you’ve come.
Consistently we face the pressures of striving for ‘new/next/better’ and yet we don’t take the time to truly honour that today is where it’s at and all we have is right now. Self-Celebration directly tackles this. Self-Celebration is celebrating the person you are now; not your future self or not the person you wish you could be. It is about accepting, encouraging and empowering yourself in this moment. And you can celebrate who you are, anytime or any place and for any reason. Self-Celebration opens up the potential for what we allow ourselves to honour and therefore how we experience our lives. WHAT IT IS…
WHAT IT IS NOT:
Through all of your challenges and successes, I invite you to Stop. Breathe. Feel. and to give yourself credit. See, it is not just the “big” things that you can honour, it’s every step you take in your journey. This is what celebrating yourself is all about– slowing down, noticing your experiences, and acknowledging yourself. Life can feel like a whole bunch of to-do lists and deadlines and requirements. But, you have the opportunity to witness yourself and the incredible journey you are on. This is how you begin to celebrate yourself! When you pause and check-in, you’ll start to recognise the steps you’ve taken over the last day or week or year to get where you are at this moment. There is so much power and strength in naming! Naming the progress you’ve made, the skills you’ve learned, the habits you’ve formed, and so on. While there are no right or wrong ways to celebrate yourself, I recommend doing it often and consistently. This practice will support you in developing awareness, gratitude, and self-love. A divorce is a highly stressful, life-changing event. When you’re going through the emotional wringer and dealing with major life changes, it’s more important than ever to take care of yourself. The strain and upset of a major breakup can leave you psychologically and physically vulnerable. Treat yourself like you’re getting over the flu. Get plenty of rest, minimise other sources of stress in your life, and reduce your workload if possible. Learning to take care of yourself can be one of the most valuable lessons you learn following a breakup. As you feel the emotions of your loss and begin learning from your experience, you can resolve to take better care of yourself and make positive choices going forward. Self-care tips: Make time each day to nurture yourself. Help yourself heal by scheduling daily time for activities you find calming and soothing. Spend time with good friends, go for a walk, listen to music, enjoy a hot bath, get a massage, read a favourite book, take a yoga class, or savour a warm cup of tea. Pay attention to what you need in any given moment and speak up to express your needs. Honour what you believe to be right and best for you even though it may be different from what your ex or others want. Say “no” without guilt or angst as a way of honouring what is right for you. Stick to a routine. A divorce or relationship breakup can disrupt almost every area of your life, amplifying feelings of stress, uncertainty, and chaos. Getting back to a regular routine can provide a comforting sense of structure and normalcy. Take a time out. Try not to make any major decisions in the first few months after a separation or divorce, such as starting a new job or moving to a new city. If you can, wait until you’re feeling less emotional so that you can make decisions with a clearer head. Avoid using alcohol, drugs, or food to cope. When you’re in the middle of a breakup, you may be tempted to do anything to relieve your feelings of pain and loneliness. But using alcohol, drugs, or food as an escape is unhealthy and destructive in the long run. It’s essential to find healthier ways of coping with painful feelings. Explore new interests. A divorce or breakup is a beginning as well as an end. Take the opportunity to explore new interests and activities. Pursuing fun, new activities gives you a chance to enjoy life in the here-and-now, rather than dwelling on the past. Making healthy choices: Eat well, sleep well, and exercise. When you’re going through the stress of a divorce or breakup, healthy habits easily fall by the wayside. You might find yourself not eating at all or overeating your favourite junk foods. Exercise might be harder to fit in because of the added pressures at home and sleep might be elusive. But all the work you are doing to move forward in a positive way will be pointless if you don’t make long-term healthy lifestyle choices. If you feel you need support, or someone you know needs guidance then please do get in touch with FD Consultants today, we're here to help. Hosted by the Mental Health Foundation, Mental Health Awareness Week 2019 will take place from Monday 13 to Sunday 19 May 2019. The theme for 2019 is Body Image – how we think and feel about our bodies. All of us live with our bodies as they evolve and change. Just as all of us have a role in shaping an inclusive culture where we help others feel comfortable in their own skin. Body image and self-esteem start in the mind, not in the mirror. They can change the way you understand your value and worth. Healthy body image and self-esteem are a big part of well-being. Body image is mental and emotional: it’s both the mental picture that you have of your body and the way you feel about your body when you look in a mirror. Healthy body image is more than simply tolerating what you look like or “not disliking” yourself. A healthy body image means that you truly accept and like the way you look right now and aren’t trying to change your body to fit the way you think you should look. It means recognising the individual qualities and strengths that make you feel good about yourself beyond weight, shape or appearance, and resisting the pressure to strive for the myth of the “perfect” body that you see in the media, online, in your communities. Self-esteem is how you value and respect yourself as a person—it is the opinion that you have of yourself inside and out. Self-esteem impacts how you take care of yourself, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Self-esteem is about your whole self, not just your body. When you have good self-esteem, you value yourself, and you know that you deserve good care and respect—from yourself and from others. You can appreciate and celebrate your strengths and your abilities, and you don’t put yourself down if you make a mistake. Good self-esteem means that you still feel like you’re good enough even when you’re dealing with difficult feelings or situations. Why do body image and self-esteem matter? Body image and self-esteem directly influence each other—and your feelings, thoughts, and behaviours. If you don’t like your body (or a part of your body), it’s hard to feel good about your whole self. The reverse is also true: if you don’t value yourself, it’s hard to notice the good things and give your body the respect it deserves. Below, see how good body image and self-esteem positively impact mental health: These are just a few examples. As you can see, good body image, self-esteem, and mental health are not about making yourself feel happy all the time. They are about respecting yourself and others, thinking realistically, and taking action to cope with problems or difficulties in healthy ways. Below, see how poor body image and self-esteem negatively impact mental health: As you can see, the problem with negative thinking and feelings is that once people start to focus on shortcomings or problems in one area or one situation, it becomes very easy to only see problems in many other areas or situations. Negative thinking has a way of leading to more negative thinking.
How can I encourage a healthier body image?
The next time you notice yourself having negative thoughts about your body and appearance, take a minute to think about what’s going on in your life. Are you feeling stressed out, anxious, or low? Are you facing challenges in other parts of your life? When negative thoughts come up, think about what you’d tell a friend if they were in a similar situation and then take your own advice. Be mindful of messages you hear and see in the media and how those messages inform the way people feel about the way they look. Recognise and challenge those stereotypes! |
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