Love Myself Week

In recent weeks, I’ve become a fan of Louise Hay of Hay House Publications. I listen to one of her CDs in my car every day, the one on how to use affirmations. I like affirmations because when I see one on my mirror or hear one or just remember to say one of them, it immediately changes my attitude from negative to positive. Because of some health issues lately, I have had some old nasty negativity slipping into my thoughts. 

One of the things Louise says is that we often look in the mirror but when we do we usually find something we don’t like. We criticize our looks or say mean things to our reflections. I know I do that. 

“Gosh, I need to do something with my hair.”

“If I could only lose weight, I’d look good and feel good again.”

“Boy, old age is creeping up on me.”

Louise says we should say nice things to our reflections in the mirror. We should look at ourselves and give ourselves love. We don’t love ourselves enough. That is why we sometimes feel unloved. If we don’t love ourselves, who will?

I am taking this week to love myself. 

I am telling myself how much I love me. I love my hair, my body, my spirit, my personality and my determination. Instead of berating myself for my failings, I am finding the good in me and showering myself with love. During this week of loving myself, I am not going to take on any difficult projects, do any work that is not fulfilling or interesting. With a world out there full of people who seem to enjoy the pain of others, we must take care to fill our lives with as much compassion for ourselves as we can, pamper ourselves when we can, and appreciate who we are. 

I like something else she says – stress is simply fear of something. When we face our fear and ask ourselves why we are afraid and what we are afraid of, we can usually eliminate the stress. I am working on that one. 

How about you? Do you love yourself? Do you look for your good traits or do you find fault with your efforts? Repeat this several times.  “I am grateful for my body, my health, and for those who love me, including myself.”

Find your blessings where you may.

I found it hard, at first, to be appreciative after being stopped by the State Patrol officer. He gave me a warning instead of a citation for speeding, but --- he did write me up for having an expired tag.

When I realized I had left my handbag in the buggy at Wal-Mart at 10:30 p.m. I hurried back dreading to hear the worst. After all, I had left the buggy in the outer area of the store and I remembered four young men standing there. I could imagine them eyeing the purse as I turned back to my car. All the way back to the store I beat up on myself for being so dumb, for not paying attention to what I was doing. I could even hear Barry's voice, "Glenda, why don't you keep your mind on what you're doing?"
Later as I drove home with my bag safely beside me and everything intact, including cash and credit cards, I practiced my new attitude about life.

The cop could have given me a ticket for speeding instead of just for the tag offense. I could have found that no one had seen my purse, or I could have found it empty, but I did not.

A "buggy boy" had found the black bag while doing his job. An honest young mman who probably needed the cash although it was not a large amount, turned it in to the store authority. My negative mindset slowly changed course.

I am thankful that I live where thieves are not the norm; where respect for others is not dead;where young men still open doors for women and the bag boys turn down a tip for loading my car at the grocery store.

A kind officer had decided not to send me to court with a speeding ticket. I would surely have paid a large fine.

So, I found some blessings in my stressful evening. I am lucky and happy that I came out so well.
I have learned to look for the good even in the worst situations.
Life is not always pretty, nor perfect, but deep
in the dirt we sometimes find small gems.