You are what you eat – no really it is true. You need to understand why you do what you do, and when you do it, when it comes to your diet to make sure that your “cheat days” do not turn into weeks. There is an undeniable connection between what we eat and how we feel and vice versa. If you strengthen your mind, your body will benefit, too.
What you choose to eat may be affected by how you feel or the context you find yourself in. If you feel like you are having a particularly tough week, you may resort to “comfort food” to placate your emotions. If you are stressed, you may start missing meals, or even begin eating too much. What you do not see is that these behaviors are cognitive disconnections that keep you from living a balanced life.
You need to fill your soul before you can properly fill your body
1. Stand in front of a mirror. Look yourself in the eye. As you do, imagine that you are the kind of mother or father who is always encouraging and knows exactly what to say. Or, imagine that you are speaking with the kindness and certainty of your own soul. The basic concept is that the person in the mirror needs love and recognition, and you are going to supply it. As unnatural as this may feel at first, I promise you will get the hang of it very quickly!
This exercise works very well when you think of the person in the mirror as your “inner child,” or the part of you that needs your love and positive energy, compassion and reassurance.
2. As you keep eye contact with yourself, say the following phrases to yourself, one right after the other. Say them out loud (this is essential). As you speak, look for the vibration of kindness, tenderness, and reassurance within you. This is what the wounded part of you needs to hear!
“I totally and absolutely love you.”
“I completely believe in you.”
“There is nothing wrong with you and there has never been.”
“I promise that I will always love you and I’ll never leave you.”
3. As you move through each phrase, repeat it a few times before reciting the next. Try to find that place in you which passionately and sincerely feels and believes what you are saying. For many of you, that passion and sincerity will be difficult to find at first. This should be compassionately seen as a “wake up call,” that your self-love is more incomplete and weak than you may have previously thought. This exercise tends to be “diagnostic” of our attitude toward ourselves while supplying the right medicine we need to repair and grow our loving self-connection.
4. You may also find that some phrases are easier to say, feel and truly believe than others. There is much to be learned about your attitudes toward yourself by contemplating which phrases are difficult for you — and why!
5. Lastly, say something to yourself that you really need to hear right now. The more you need to hear it, the greater the reassurance and growth that results. Find the words and attitude that are nurturing, encouraging, loving, and healing.
Like meditating, praying or doing yoga postures daily, practicing this exercise daily will create a profound and life-changing effect. It will fundamentally transform and improve your relationship with yourself. It can be done in five minutes or can be prolonged and elaborated upon according to your needs. It can be done at any time to re-connect to yourself in a loving and confident way, but it has special benefits if done at the end of the day before sleeping.
The reason is that the love, reassurance, and encouragement you give yourself will be “soaked up” and take root in your unconscious mind as you sleep. Slowly but surely this positive and loving attitude toward yourself will outshine your feeling of not being “good enough” and the relentless mental chatter of self-criticism. It will also begin to heal the sadness, emptiness, and loneliness that comes from not loving ourselves unconditionally.
Meditation from Blog4Change.
Are you ready to put together a plan that fits YOUR life and YOUR goals?
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