I went to a workshop this week called Faith and Fitness. (The Seminar series is still going on right now. link.) It was lead by an excellent coach named Akelah Muhammed. In the workshop, Akelah asked us to do an exercise. At home, we needed to stand in front of a mirror and say.
I (your name here) appreciate myself because …
One participant shared that it was hard for them to do this exercise. They didn’t like the way they looked. But because they tried to do it, they had a realization. They basically said, “I don’t have to have an athletic body to appreciate it.”
Another participant admitted that in the past she would often tell herself that she was ugly. And now she was trying to change that. She replaced it with a scripture that is meaningful to her. “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139:14)
One participant said that they were having a hard time with the exercise because they didn’t believe what they were saying. It was then suggested that they start with things they do believe and go from there. Saying things that you don’t believe doesn’t make you believe them, it just causes inner dissonance. Acknowledging the bad and still finding the good seems to work a lot better.
I was inspired by the bravery of these participants. I loved the time I spent with them.
Appreciating Yourself
I think this exercise was excellent! I can see it was a benefit to the participants who chose to do it. It adds an element of gratitude to the usual saying-kind-things-to-yourself-in-the-mirror exercise.
Adding gratitude is potent. Gratitude practices are powerful ways to access joy. I’ve also noticed that gratitude is a big component of trust. When someone expresses sincere appreciation for me, I feel seen and heard. I feel like my efforts are worth something. I feel more secure in my standing with that person. When I reciprocate gratitude, I show that I see them and hear them. I also begin to see more of the ways they care for me.
I love the idea of feeling that Joy, and security in myself. I love when I’m able to be safe from scorn in my own mind. I love the idea of feeling like I’m enough, like my body is enough. As I express gratitude for myself more and more, I begin to trust myself more and more. It takes time, but it’s worth the effort.
I Appreciate You
Thank you for reading this post. It helps me feel heard. If you have the time, consider answering some or all of these questions.
- What Gratitude practices do you have in place?
- What Gratitude practices would you like to try?
- What boundaries will you put in place for what you will say to yourself and what you won’t say to yourself?
- Do you have problems seeing yourself in the mirror?
- Would you like to try the Mirror Appreciation exercise?
- Do you think a different exercise would be a good fit for you?
- What is something you feel/ felt joyful about?
- Was gratitude involved?
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