What Do You Appreciate About Yourself?

If I were to list all the things I don’t like about myself, you’d probably relate to me and my struggles. After all, we’re comfortable focusing on our shortcomings. But if I were to list all the things I like about myself, you’d probably think I was prideful, egotistical, or narcissistic.

But what about self-love? What about messages that tell us we must first love ourselves to truly love others?

Today, I want you to forget about being humble or self-deprecating. I want you to forget how other people might see your self-love.

I want you to make a list of things you appreciate about yourself. 

Yes! I know this can be hard. It goes against our upbringing and our brains wiring to focus on the negative. But it’s a powerful practice that can build our self-worth and our happiness.

To get started, think of your physical traits, your skills, your experience, your strengths, your character traits, your personality, etc.

For example,

• Instead of focusing on how much I don’t like my spindly arms, I choose to appreciate that I’m thin.
• Instead of wishing I was more outgoing, I choose to appreciate my calm demeanor.
• Instead of wishing I had more experience with sales and marketing, I choose to appreciate my experience in biochemistry.
• Instead of wishing I was more organized, I choose to appreciate my flexibility.

Like so many other aspects of our survival instinct and our societal norms, we need to purposely think about our positive traits and take time to appreciate them. We each have special gifts and talents that we take for granted because they are such an integral part of who we are. But you are an amazing individual and the world needs your gifts now more than ever. So make sure you’re using them and letting them show. This quote by Marianne Williamson has stuck with me from the first time I read it years ago.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be?”