Wednesday, October 8, 2008

The Power of a Good Self-image

By Brigette M. Britton

If you would ask me what I think the most important self-empowering tool is, I would definitely have to say A GOOD SELF-IMAGE! Without a good self-image NOTHING you do will really matter because of HOW you see and FEEL about yourself.

The first important step in reaching a balance in one's life is in loving yourself NO MATTER WHAT! Now, I am not saying it’s an easy thing to do believe me. It’s a daily, on going battle for me. But guess who’s winning? I am and so can you!

Here are some examples of famous people who died because they didn’t love themselves as well as didn’t posses a good self-image (although EVERYONE on this planet worshipped them) Elvis Presley, John Belushi, Janis Joplin, River Phoenix, and Jim Morrison, just to name a few.

The key here is not what anyone else thinks about you! It’s how you FEEL and THINK about you! Just like all those dead famous people who were worshipped by millions, what good did that do if THEY didn’t love themselves? They died in search of approval and love. Although the newspapers said drug overdose, why do you think they did drugs to begin with? They were sad, lost extremely talented souls !

In the next several pages I will share some wonderful “Good Self Image” secrets that have worked for me. I practice them daily so that I too can reach a self-loving balance in my life with you my brother-sister readers!

First of all, get rid of your “I LOOK UGLY AND HATE MY BODY” mirrors (you know which ones I mean). Go either to Wal Mart or K Mart and buy a “I look leaner and love my body Mirror”. It only costs like $15 and, trust me, when I tell you it works! One of the first steps towards achieving a good self-image starts with LOVING OUR BODIES!

If you own the I LOOK distorted MIRRORS and see yourself that way everyday, it is not a good or empowering way to start your day. I know most positive self-image books SAY love yourself as you are! It’s easier said then done, so I KNOW from personal experience that it REALLY helps to be able to at least see yourself a little leaner then heavier.

Also, avoid looking in any other mirror, when you pass by one look the other way as they are distorted and normally make you look 15lbs heavier. Your thoughts create your reality, trust me, I know first hand!

Second, from the first moment you wake up in the morning and the last moment before you go beddie bye, please try to do the following: Sit really close in front of your mirror and look deeply into your own eyes and repeat, (using your own name, of course) I, BRIGITTE MALAAYA, LOVE MYSELF, I APPRECIATE MYSELF and I THANK GOD FOR MYSELF.

At first you might feel a little self-conscious and weird, I know I did! I can promise you that this too will pass and instead you will be in awe at how powerful and loving you will feel just by looking deeply into your own eyes. Think about that old, wise saying “The Path to your soul is seen in your eyes”. It’s certainly true.

Do not take this exercise lightly, it is VERY important and will have a definite powerful impact in your daily life. Also, make sure to repeat each phrase three times and take deep breaths before each one and be grateful that you can breathe!

Third, do not focus on what you feel are your misgivings. We all have them to one degree or another as they are part of us all, instead we embrace and accept them and we work on improving them! I still practice this exercise daily, you see, I personally have NEVER had a good self-image and sometimes still don’t, but I make a daily effort to remind myself that I am a loving, beautiful and kind being and always will be!

I also make it a point to tell people I love, how wonderful and beautiful they are on a daily basis because by empowering others, you in turn empower yourself. Besides, it feels great to see that just some kind words can bring such joy in their eyes. Think about how you feel when someone gives you a sincere compliment, it literally makes your whole day a little brighter!

Now, no matter what you change on the outside, the inside is even more important, so, please try to include nourishing, loving thoughts like; “I Love Myself, because I have a great heart”, or “I Love Myself, because I am a forgiving and compassionate being”. It is not conceited to love yourself, it is essential to love yourself.

How can you love anyone else, if you don’t love yourself? Give this some serious thought. It’s like, you must first be “The Love of your life” before you can be the love of someone else’s life! Can you honestly expect anyone else to really love you if you don’t really love yourself? Does this make any sense to you?

By becoming a self-loving being, you can then easily be, loving to others. Make an effort at least once a day to tell one other person that you love them. It doesn’t matter if they say it back, only that you can say it and mean it.

Fourth, be honest with yourself, a very important exercise. Really look at yourself, inside and out. If need be, make a list of all the things you like and love as well as dislike about yourself and read it carefully. Are these your beliefs or someone else’s?

In most cases the negative voices in our heads belong to others! Sad but usually true? Now, think about the things you love about yourself and change the things you don’t. Simple. Right? Well, maybe not that simple, but most definitely doable. Like anything else in life, everything worthwhile takes some degree of passion and desire! So get passionate!

© Brigette M. Britton and The Mega Way

Resource Box:
Brigette Malaaya Britton, author, holistic nutritionist, and organic gourmet chef, is on a mission is to spread awareness in conscious eating thru cooking and healing. For more information, visit Brigitte's site at www.TheMegaWay.com/.


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