Respect and Value Yourself
Even if we have supportive friends and family our decisions and actions have consequences, which first and foremost, affect us and our life personally. From there these decisions and actions may in turn affect others in our life. However it all begins with us.
“You must become the producer, director and actor in the unfolding story of your life.” Wayne Dyer
It is so important then to nurture and care for ourselves along the way.
According to Merriam Webster dictionary respect means:
“To consider worth of high regard: ESTEEM”
And value means:
“To consider or rate highly”
The more we are able to give these to ourselves the more we will have no need of searching for it from others. To do so means that we accept and approve of ourselves right here, right now, just the way we are. We are not saying that we are perfect or better than anyone else, what we are doing though is recognising our intrinsic worth as an individual. As we do so we take the pressure of ‘Comparison’ off ourselves.
There is absolutely NO judgement here, of self or others, as we continue to grow, enhance and evolve personally. Relax and enjoy the process, there is no rush, rushing anything only creates unnecessary anxiety.
We need to be kind to ourselves. Sure, we have a goal we want to achieve and if we consciously persist at it, we will achieve it, if it’s important enough.
Isn’t it better to achieve it with gratitude, love, consideration and kindness for ourselves and others along the way, rather than, frustration, irritation or anger towards ourselves and others…
“When you dance your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor. It’s to enjoy each step along the way.” Wayne Dyer
An example of kindness could be, making ourselves a priority, by taking time out of our busy schedules to relax in a hot scented bath, washing away the remnants of the day and rejuvenating ourselves. 🛁
It is an act of self-love because we are essentially communicating to ourselves that we are important enough to make this time for ourselves. We may have heard the self-talk, suggesting we do not have the time or we should be doing this, that or the other instead. However, if we put ourselves first in this instance we are saying - “I understand I have to do all of these other things and I will get to them but this is important too, I am important too…” It is a bit like allowing ourselves the time to stop and smell the roses. Life is too short to deny ourselves these little pleasures along the way. 🥰
We each have our personal preferences for relaxation. It could be something you do at least once or twice a week that takes a little longer, such as, going for an outdoor walk, reading a book, taking a long bath, doing a long meditation, cooking a nice meal (something a little more special than usual). Or a daily activity that doesn’t take as long, such as, sitting comfortably with our eyes closed and doing some deep breathing for five to ten minutes, or a mediation for the same amount of time, we could also do some gentle stretching exercises and/or toning exercises at home for a few short minutes - every little thing counts towards being relaxed and centred.
Personally, I like to incorporate both in my week. ✔ Make it a priority❣
If we invest in our well-being in this way consistently, over time, we will become physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually stronger. 💪🏽👌
Balance is the key. In this way we are recharging by replenishing our own resources so we have more to give to other areas of our life.
Another thing I like to do of a morning is to stop for a few seconds, look into my own eyes, and greet myself before the start of my day. I say good morning, smile and blow myself a kiss, or give myself a thumbs up. It might sound a little odd, but I can assure you it helps me connect with myself, first and foremost before starting my day.
Starting the day by connecting to ourselves in some way means we are present to ourselves, which is a better alternative to getting out of bed, and habitually getting things done in automatic mode.
It’s even better if we can stop, take a few deep breaths in and out, to reconnect with ourselves periodically throughout the day. Our breath is our connection to our life force, so the more we can breathe deeply, the more we are connected to life. On a physical level one advantage includes, increased oxygenation of our blood, which travels around our body providing us with vital energy. Also, deep breathing increases our ability to be present in the moment. Which of course only enhances our experience of life as we are not reacting in the moment, we are choosing consciously. 👀