Living in Gratitude: 5 Ways to Appreciate Yourself
You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection. ~Buddha
Appreciating ourselves may seem somewhat ego-driven. But consider the fact that each of our relationships depend upon our relationship with ourselves. If we don’t love ourselves, we can’t possibly love others. If we don’t respect ourselves, odds are we won’t make respectable choices. If we don’t value our time, we may not use time in a way that is the most valuable. The way we treat ourselves determines how we treat the world around us. Just as important as acknowledging everything else in life that we are grateful for, it is equally important to recognize the good we each do each day for ourselves, for others and for the world around us.
Below are 5 things we can do to boost the appreciation of ourselves.
- Acknowledge our accomplishments
We often compare ourselves against others. Their success, how much money they make, their possessions, even how many “Likes” they get on Facebook or other social media outlets. But rather than benchmarking ourselves against the accomplishments of others, we should consider what we have achieved. When we focus on the truth of who we are and what we have accomplished, we can begin to appreciate ourselves, our talents and gifts and our contributions to the world.
- Change the conversation in your head
When you find yourself thinking negative thoughts about yourself, your achievements and who you are, stop them in their tracks. Change your inner dialog to one of appreciation for who you are and what you’ve accomplished. Rather than telling yourself you can’t and won’t, or are in a state of constant struggle, look at the good.
- Reward yourself
It is okay to take a break from work, to relax and spend time to unwind and reconnect. Allow yourself these moments, in fact, be sure to incorporate in your life things that make you happy. Don’t wait for someone else to validate your hard work and accomplishments – reward yourself!
- Acknowledge what you give to others
Consider all of the things you’ve done for others. The support and guidance you’ve offered. The friendship and kindness you’ve extended. The talents and gifts you’ve shared. You’ve made a difference. You’ve created change in the world in your own special way. That’s amazing and worth appreciating about yourself!
- Write it down
Just as you take time to write down your gratitudes daily, include things you appreciate about YOU. This will remind you of who you really are, you capabilities, achievements, how you’ve given back, how you’ve helped others, how you’ve helped yourself grow and change.
When we begin to appreciate ourselves, we can overcome burdens, find solutions and discover joy. When it all comes down to it, what we possess materially doesn’t reflect who we are as a person. What does matter is knowing we were the best person we could be.
