It is February, a month that invokes hearts and love letters.  We are going to delve into love every week this month starting with ourselves.  What would this world look like if people deeply accepted themselves for who they are.  What would it look like if all peoples could know unconditional love for themselves. 

We cannot control how others see us or love us, but we most definitely can control how we see and love ourselves.  We can practice calming our inner critic and facing our own judges.  It is time to treat yourself with a beautiful, boundless and deeply kind love!

Here is a mindfulness exercise in self-compassion.  Please know that all of our minds wander during mindfulness, just gently bring yourself back during this exercise.

Find a cosy, safe and comfortable place to sit, where you will not be interrupted and remember, this is a time for you show love yourself. It is out of your self-love, self-compassion and self-care that the authentic ability to love and care for others comes from.

Please put your hand on your heart. Close your eyes and breathe.  Feel the air come in through your nose and out your mouth.  As you breathe in say, “May I be filled.” and as you breathe out say, “With love and self- compassion.” Imagine your inhale breath filling behind your forehead and as you release your breath, imagine it surrounding your heart. After a few breaths with that visual and those words imagine yourself as a child. Imagine your sweet wee face and shy or brave smile. And tell that little child how much you love them. Smile as you recognize and see their beauty and essence. Take more breaths imagining the breath connecting your head and your heart.  When you are ready, open your eyes and re-enter your surroundings. If you can, do this meditation every morning this week.

The goal of this meditation is to shrink your inner critic, or judge. The unkind voice that whittles you down and stops you from being the incredible person the world needs you to be, the person you want to be.

You can change up the words but remember to focus on your unique essence.  We can shrink our judge just by becoming aware of when we are being unkind to ourself and/or others. It helps to think about how you would talk to your most beloved friend and know that, that is how you should talk to yourself.

You are loveable because you exist, you are enough, your perfectly imperfect and I give thanks for you today.