Hello Dear One,
How comfortable are you with compliments? Do they warm your heart? Or, do you bat them away? Into outer space, perhaps?
When I started practising self-compassion my ability to receive kind words skyrocketed. Last year, when others told me I was brave, I thought yes, I am, instead of anyone could do it or reckless, really. It cemented a shift: away from feeling like I was a terrible person, towards kindness, forgiveness and strength. Although I fall back into mean and judgemental patterns I also notice and counteract them.
Yet, when set a task to ask people what they love and appreciate about me – I felt sick. A close friend responded with a lovely list, but it took serious self-restraint not to boomerang back with everything I loved about her. To up-level, as others on the course had done, I posted the task on my Facebook page. Instead of turning off my phone, I read the comments. I let myself feel vulnerable.
Variations on this exercise include using three people that love you and writing reasons why you’re loveable, or things you’d like help with and why you deserve it.
It’s unlikely to be easy: we’re not used to living this way. I’ve had so many walls up, so many stories about what I don’t deserve. It’s scary when these come down. But, it’s also expansive. Why shouldn’t life be about loving on each other, about feeling good in ourselves and owning what we bring? Of course, it takes work to get there, there is no ‘one and done’ method. But isn’t it worth it?
Thanks for being here and being you.
All love,
Jo
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Have a beautiful week.