Healthy Living for the Soul

CHANGE AND TRANSITIONS

As leaves turn and fall, we are reminded of the changing seasons of life. Some changes are small and subtle; others are greater due to illness and the loss of loved ones. How do we cope with inevitable life changes?

When my daughter was little she called nightmares, night mirrors. Nightmares exist in the darkness where our fears rise up. Darkness can be in our day time thoughts too. When we look in the mirror, we may see the ravages of aging, surgeries, food binges and lack of exercise. We may need a conscious effort to let in the light.

Perhaps we heard things as a child or teenager that formed our opinion about the way we were meant to be. Barbie Dolls definitely had an impact on how women saw themselves. Body image brings its trials and tribulations. We may have challenged our bodies to fill out and shape up. We may react with a desire to change or fix what we see reflecting back at us; enhance it, expose it, hold it in, or cover it up. Remember the wicked stepmother, “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?” This quote represents the loss of youthful beauty and speaks to letting go of what has been.

What if we could use the mirror as a friend who gives encouragement and appreciation? Turn the tide on seeing loss and use the mirror as our cohort in change. Instead of lamenting over the inevitable changes and false inadequacies; acknowledge, appreciate and affirm our changing bodies. Affirmations are a tool for realigning our thoughts, focusing the runaway mind back to the good.

I have written messages on my mirror with red lipstick. A favorite is simply, “I love you.” Once my granddaughter Kylee asked me why I had that on my mirror. I answered, “Look in the mirror. Do you see yourself?” She laughed, “Of course!” “Now, look again and read the message out loud.” As she did, a smile crossed her face and she giggled. Love and appreciation of others begins with loving and appreciating ourselves. We must fill our cup with love so it can spill over and nourish others.

What if we took some time each day to look in the mirror and speak words of love and appreciation to ourselves? This may be difficult at first. Focus on your eyes while repeating self-appreciation messages. On colorful index cards write positive, affirming sentences like: My body serves me and I am grateful for that service.

Our bodies carry us about, performing with a beating heart and breathing lungs without our need to control. Having a daily practice with spoken words of appreciation affirms that we are a walking miracle. As our bodies change, there is room for acknowledgment and appreciation. Go ahead; read this aloud, “I am a magnificent manifestation of life.”

Let the mirror become another tool for your Healthy Living for the Soul.

Cheryl Floyd, Speaker/Storyteller and Heal your Life® Coach. Cheryl Floyd is a graduate of East Tennessee State University’s Master Storytelling program. Her career includes over thirty years in education, publishing, life coaching, public speaking, and storytelling. www.cherylfloyd.com