What is your self-image

A clip I saw a while ago about what people saw when they looked in a cleverly positioned mirror recently came to mind. I began to consider the questions that were asked, such as, "What do you see when you look in the mirror?" What is your opinion of yourself? What are you concentrating on, and why are you reacting the way you do?

The majority of people had negative reactions. And I considered how I would respond to similar questions. When I look in the mirror these days, this is how I truly feel.

I reflected on how I used to perceive the outside world in the same way they did, observing only the changes that have occurred over time. How I only noticed the sleep less nights and overthinking over the years. And I never thought of looking at myself differently when I turned away. That it might be possible to notice that I had grown in knowledge, kindness, and love capacity.

It was never a thought of mine. But then I noticed an inspirational quote that had recently appeared on my Facebook page. And tears streaming down my eyes. “If there is ever a tomorrow when we are not together, there is one thing you should always remember. You're braver than you think. You are stronger than you would seem and smarter than you believe.”

I recalled how desperately I wanted to believe as a child that I was braver, smarter, and tougher than I thought I was. As an adult, I wished to have a better image of myself than the one I had before.

Embracing the Beliefs of Others

Like many people I know, I grew up believing that I was far less than I was. I tried to block out all the cruel and unkind words I heard with my ears and my mind. Unfortunately, this did not prevent them from becoming deeply ingrained in my mind. From growing into the self-beliefs I held.

For a long period of time, I thought I wasn't good enough, incredible enough, lovable enough, good enough, or intelligent enough. And, while I now recognize that I was/am all of those things, looking into a mirror over the years did not reveal the truth about myself.

I turned away from my reflection and went about my life. Like many others who have suffered with low self-esteem and feelings of rejection, I pursued actions that I thought would make me feel better about myself. I made decisions that I hoped would leave me feeling decent, but they only left me disappointed. I took certain paths, only to discover that they led me to places I didn't want to be.

But, eventually, I realized that what all of us who are compassionately seeking answers and peace were looking for was right here inside me. What I thought about myself was what someone else thought about me. I needed to change my way of thinking.

Changing Your Beliefs

This marked the beginning of my spiritual journey. I examined my beliefs and wondered if they were true. I opened my heart and discovered that the person I thought I was did not match the real me. I began to hold new beliefs.

I no longer had any difficulty seeing my true reflection in the mirror. It was simple for me to acknowledge the joy and peace I felt in my heart. It shone through the eyes that were staring back at me.

As it started turning out, I am braver than I thought, stronger than I appeared, and smarter than I previously thought. And the person I see when I look in the mirror is complete, adored, and filled with love.

Maybe you're still trying to figure it out. You're not pleased with what you see when you look in the mirror. You are upset and angry because you do not see, or are unable to see, the truth about yourself.

Perhaps you, too, have been the target of negative words and actions directed at you by others. Or do you believe you failed to live up to someone's expectations and fell short of what they expected of you?

Or, as I did for so long, are you holding tight to the seeds of doubt that were planted in you when you were young? You have lost sight of the truth because you have accepted other people's ideas of what is acceptable. I'm not sure.

I do understand that when each of us wakes up and changes our beliefs about ourselves, what we see in the mirror changes. We begin to see the culmination of all that we are the exquisiteness of our true selves.

So why not take another look? Look in the mirror and see the true beauty of who you are. Stop focusing on what you lack or wish to improve. Begin to value what is true about yourself. Recognize that you are brave, wise, strong, and beautiful on the inside and out.

Know that you are loved!