What Do You Appreciate About Yourself?

I think it’s easier for people to say what’s wrong with them than to say what they appreciate. Let’s look at it in three different ways:

Appreciation of things
Appreciation of others
Appreciation of self

I can have appreciation for the beauty in nature, a mountain, my grandmother’s roses, the smell of lavender or rosemary, a graceful sculpture, the smile and joy of a child when they learn something for the first time, a well turned phrase as I read a book or listen to music. And, I could go on and on.

The second category – appreciation of others. I have appreciation for the connection I have with my family, a great conversation with a friend, a hug when I’m sad, a “hello” and smile from a perfect stranger, the generous surprise meal when I was all alone, the heartfelt comment by a participant in a workshop. And again, I could go on and on.

Now, category three – appreciation of self. I appreciate the way I care about friends and family, how I express my Life Purpose, how my mind works to figure out connections, how I can experiment with recipes and patterns and be OK with how they turn out. And, the interesting thing is that I could go on and on. I didn’t expect that.

What I was going to write about was how much easier it is for us to appreciate other people or things than ourself. When I started the third list it did take me longer to think of things to start with and then I was able to open up and think of the many things I appreciate about myself. The challenge is in allowing yourself to think grandly about you!

I think the big idea here is in the act of appreciation itself. When I remember to appreciate myself or others I feel positive and have an openness of possibility. When I forget to notice beauty, kindness or the many things I appreciate I feel “less than”.

I encourage you to make lists of the things you appreciate in each of the categories. What did you notice? What do you appreciate? How do you feel when you let yourself acknowledge the many things you bring to the world? Whether it is a smile, a new way of looking at things, a beautiful piece of art, the quirky turn of a phrase, or a cure for cancer. Each one is important. Take the next week and focus on the many things you appreciate about yourself and others. I suspect you will notice a huge energetic shift. Enjoy!