I have become very passionate about two things, the power of acceptance and the power of mindful, movable meditation. For the sake of today’s blog, we will focus on acceptance and what that looks like.
First off I want to make it known that we are ALL taught in the US to simply accept what is. We are not taught how to be happy, or the morals and values of being kind to your fellow man and to ourselves. We are taught to conform to society and what is acceptable. This acceptance begins once we are able to communicate and move about. What is the first three words we are tauight or hear over and over again besides our own name? Mommy, Daddy and the word NO! Think about it. Repetition breads habit of thought and movement. We learn quickly what we cannot do. We are taught to silence our voices as little people and use inside voices. All that is good and well, but along with it must come an explanation of why?
Again, we learn through the habituation of habit and how those around us act what is acceptable and what is not. Early on, I realized my voice did not matter. I had an experience I was 3 years old, leaving my grandparents home and was crying uncontrollable in the backseat of my parents car. I don’t remember the why, but I do remember it was that gut wrenching huff n puff crying. Diana, my step mother spun her head around so fast I thought she was the exorcist, and put her hand in front of my face and did that finger over thumb motion, which was in our family the signal to shut your mouth. Uh, OK. In that split second, I was taught my voice did not matter. I simply accepted this and it was forever planted in my subconscious mind.
Now, I don’t in any way be grudge my parents anything as I learned a very long time ago, we are the best people we can be with what we have. I don’t like the role of victim as it does no good! If we can recognize patterns and behaviors in our lives and equate them to why we are who we are so we can affect real change then that is a win win!
I am on a mission to do anything I can to move children past the idea of entitlement and just accepting the world and their thoughts as they are. Instead, empower children to think outside the box and expand their creativity and learn what it is to be happy. It is not things that make us happy but a true sense of self. They must know that when they look in the mirror that they are the best person they have ever met. But what does that look like? We all know a narcisit or ten!A true narcisit beleives they are the best thing ever but from a negative ego platform.
Being able to look yourself in the mirror and look beyond the ego, takes real work and thought. It is not easy work, but can be done! It first starts with a sense of gratitude for being alive and for everything you have, not what you don’t have. Gratitude is the basis for everything in our lives. There is ALWAYS something to be grateful for. In every experience there is gratitude even in the difficult times, and that is when we must be even more grateful.
Next we must change our inner dialogue to things like I am strong, I am enough, I am beautiful. When the negative dialogue creeps back in, think of something you enjoy doing and your mind will then sidetrack your negative thoughts. Then you will eventually replace the negative with positive and so goes the inner dialogue shift. When I say I am fabulous, I mean it. I am not speaking from an ego based energy, I am speaking from a happy inner belief that I am fabulous, no ifs ans or buts about it! Take it or leave it, but I know my inner happy truth.
Think about a world where when we all look in the mirror, we think things like “girl you are looking so very gorgeous today!” Instead of “oh my goodness I see another wrinkle!” This is what it is to accept and love who we really are and not what society says we must become. I recently had a conversation with a dear friend of mine. She was remarking how this woman was so beautiful and petite. I turned it around and said, “yes, she is, but we are Regal and beautiful. Petite women cannot wear that label like we can!” The energy around beautiful and petite just shifted from acceptance, to one of perspective and inspiration.
This is how loving yourself and being happy with yourself changes your behavior. You look at other perspectives to a situation and don’t just accept it for what it is!~Shirene