Honouring Oneself

Last autumn my yoga teacher gave me a practice to wear something beautiful for 40 days. It was a relief to be given something easy! I was still working at the time (if you were at John Lewis working with me maybe you noticed I wore more dresses than normal?) At our next mentoring session she said I needed to do it for longer. And she told me that I needed to take time about choosing the clothes and time and care about dressing myself. Another 120 or so days in and I can see what she is getting at. I don't find it easy at all, I notice that I much prefer to rush and not put much thought into taking care of myself - I even have my father's habit of forgetting to brush my hair! Haha! But when I do slow down, when I do take some care about the clothes I choose, as if I matter, I notice I feel different, I walk differently, I speak differently. She has given me a practice to teach me about care and respect for oneself and also about slowing down to appreciate oneself. About honouring oneself.

After all, if you're not respecting yourself, why should anyone else?

Maybe this resonates with you...?
Do you find you put yourself last on the list?
Maybe you get upset when other people don't consider your needs or feelings?
Are you considering your needs and feelings every day?
Are you choosing to do things that make you happy? That make you feel well?

Maybe you feel a call to join me in this? Dress yourself in something beautiful as if you were adorning something precious, and after all, you are precious! Or decide on something else you are going to do for 40 days to honour and respect yourself. (It helps to set a reminder on your phone!)

Maybe take a few breaths right now and notice how you feel. What is it that you need every day that you're not respecting? Breathe and feel and wait for an answer. And if one doesn't come immediately, repeat this a few times a day until an answer comes.

After all, this is your life, and you get to choose.

Do let me know how it goes!!
Love, Amrit Jiwan xx