Love yourSELF, Take care of yourSELF, Be yourSELF!
Yes, that is a lot of “self” going on. As it should be. Time and time again we hear about how self-love, self-care and self-image are mainstays for us to find balance, be productive and push through those times when we don’t feel like being who we are or do what we do!
If you are like me you look at others and wonder why it looks so easy for some to have that proverbial ‘put together’ look, business, home or all of the above. There is just one difference between them and us. They have mastered the concept of self.
If you asked your conscious self if you loved yourself you would likely say, ‘of course’ but then your subconscious starts to question your response. The doubt, fear and stories we inevitably tell ourselves would appear and seem so real that we freeze where we are. We don’t ask for what we are worth in our work, we hide from the world and we move into paralysis. There are many ways to halt the subconscious in its track. One I have been practicing for literally decades is something I call, Irma’s Bday- Everyday Ritual. We all have a birth date and there are hours and minutes in every day. So what is your birthday month and day? Mine is May 13, hence my time of the day to celebrate me is 5:13. I set my alarm every morning for 5:13 a.m. and the first thing I say is, “Thank you Universe (God) for giving me life may I share my gifts with whomever I speak to today.” You can create your own phrase to celebrate yourself and create that bond of love for yourself over and over again. Sometimes I just sing happy birthday out loud to me. I have become so in tune with this ritual that my subconscious has me look at the clock at 5:13 p.m. too. I smile, look up and say thank you. Be your own best advocate, celebrate you before anyone else does so when others do it is just the icing on the cake not the cake itself.
Since I am not a self-image expert I reached out to a colleague of mine, Debra Munoz who is. I asked her to share some insights on how she developed and maintains her strong self-image despite having been a single mother of two who raised her children with little resources. She states, “It's not the things we have survived that matter, it is how we faced them that make us who we are. I believe we will always face challenges in life. Who is to say mine are BIGGER or WORSE than anyone else’s? The outcome is what matters. We should focus on growing from each dilemma or struggle. That is where wisdom comes from. Even if an outcome is not what we want, there is a lesson to be learned. That becomes another stepping stone in life. As a little girl I would sit on top of the clothes hamper & watch my mom put her makeup on. I remember wanting to be just like her. Even if she was running to the drug store for an item, she would put earrings and lipstick on! I'm sure that is why I do the same! I definitely never decided to be this way. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be developed with some help if you think it doesn’t come as naturally to you.”
Like Debra, our self-image is evolving, growing and becoming stronger so that on those days that we feel less than, we can bounce back sooner. It isn’t about being perfect. It is about getting back to center as soon as we can. So when you are in the middle of the struggle, make a list of all those lessons you are learning from it. Eventually you will see that the list of lesson learned is much longer and more powerful than the struggle.
Are you in need of some self-care but need to incorporate something small or easy so you don’t go into overwhelm? I asked my friend, Broderick Albert, chef extraordinaire who for the past nine years has provided his expertise to four star restaurants, convalescent foodservice where nutrition for our elderly is imperative and to many small restaurants serving the comfort food we all enjoy from time to time, to give us a quick reminder of the small ways we can make a difference in self-care. He states, “Hydrate, snack and add essential supplements in the form of probiotics. These are some of the things we know are good for us but need to be taken in conjunction with each other to help our bodies function at optimum.”
Drink plenty of water to flush out toxins in the body, curb appetite and keep your skin soft and supple
Have low calorie snacks with you at all times, nuts. The lowest-calorie nuts at 160 per ounce are almonds (23 nuts; 6 grams protein, 14 grams fat); cashews (16 to 18 nuts; 5 grams protein, 13 grams fat); and pistachios (49 nuts; 6 grams protein, 13 grams fat)
Add superfoods to your nutritional diet such as tomatoes, black beans, blueberries, kale and wheatgrass to help prevent heart disease
You are not broken, you are not wrong, you have everything you need to share your gifts to the world in a most perfect way and making these small incremental shifts in how we think of ourselves, take care of ourselves and share ourselves will help you align with your true purpose in life even more. I look forward to hearing how you celebrate your birthday daily!
