I recently saw this statement - “it's not a matter of finding yourself, but discovering yourself under layers of judgment, doubt and fear.”
I have spent my life working to unravel the self-doubt that was brought on by judgment from my peers and the fear of never being good enough. I made it out of that mindset but not without damage that took years to repair.
When we look at our children, are they living in self-doubt that keeps them from moving forward? Many times I listen to women over 30 still dealing with self-doubt that seems to have frozen time from their childhood. The reality is we can help ourselves by ridding our minds and hearts from all of these negative words and thoughts.
Starting the day with a simple brain exercise that encourages and celebrates uniqueness is a good place to start. Here is an exercise I use daily for myself and my clients.
The following exercise can help you and your child change your futures.
The Mirror
Every morning, we look in the mirror to brush our teeth, comb our hair etc. During that time, close your eyes, take a deep breath and think about a few of your amazing qualities.
Yes! They are amazing and they belong to you.
Open your eyes and say out loud three of those qualities that you’re going into your day with. Then, let go of fear, doubt or judgment that someone else has spoken over you or that you have spoken over yourself. Don’t take yesterday's issues into this new day. Celebrate your uniqueness.
Now that you have your words, write them on your mirror with an expo or dry erase marker. Add new ones every day. At the end of the week, look over the list and erase the ones you successfully celebrated. The ones you want to continue to work on, leave until you can celebrate them fully. Repeat this weekly until you see the change in your thoughts. You may find from time to time that the words you write down don’t actually match you. That's okay! Erase them and start fresh the next day.
You can do this exercise together as a family or moms and dads, you can do it by yourself and then help your kids.
I hope you find this exercise helpful.
You can check out my Affirmation cards if you are looking for a good place to start.