Make this the Year of Accepting Yourself
Themes for the year. That’s what we’ve been discussing in the life coaching and executive coaching sessions so far. For example, your theme might be making your life an adventure. Or it might be seeing yourself, dancing for joy. Mine was seeing this year as a magical year.
Yet there is one theme that needs to be in the forefront. It is the one theme that holds us back from living a fulfilling life. And that is accepting ourselves. There is that voice that we repeat to ourselves, if only this was different about myself. It might be twenty pounds lighter, a few inches taller or shorter, more hair or different color hair. And I’m sure you have your variation on this theme.
In a life coaching session yesterday, let’s call her Bonnie felt that if only she were fifteen pounds lighter she would feel better about herself. Truth be told, Bonnie is a striking woman who most people notice. I guarantee you that noone thinks that Bonnie needs to lose any weight. But that’s not what’s important. Bonnie believes that if she lost that weight she would feel better about herself. She might for a while and then something else would come up. Bonnie has to accept herself and her perceived imperfections.
Many years ago Maxwell Maltz, a plastic surgeon, wrote the book PsychoCynernetics. Maltz noted that most of the patients who consulted with him, didn’t like a physical characteristic about themselves. He observed that even after performing the surgery and correcting the physical quality that they didn’t like, they still didn’t like themselves.
Maltz concluded that unless they were willing to do the inner work, their feeling about how they looked wouldn’t change. Unless they learned to love themselves, they would feel dissatisfied.
Loving yourself is a choice that you make over and over again. How we see our lives is a decision we make. Choose happiness and your whole world changes. What is it that you don’t accept about yourself? How would your life be different if you accepted that part of yoruself?
JOURNEY ON
MARK
JOURNEY ON is a blog dedicated to personal and professional development. Mark Susnow, an executive and life coach inspires others to experience more fulfillment and success in their life. A former trial attorney for 30 years and musician, he integrates what it takes to be successful in the world with the inner wisdom unfolded to him through years of yoga and meditation. His articles reflect this journey in an inspirational way. http://www.inspirepossibility.com