RELATIONSHIPS

Honouring My Relationship with Self

Ahealthy, loving, and positive relationship with the self is the most profound gift one can harness, appreciate and enjoy. From the moment each of us are born onto the earth, we are in relation to and with many things. We are born into a cluster of relationships. Our role and position in this cluster determine how we relate to and engage with many people, things, places, situations and ourselves throughout our lives.

We start off in our initial stages of life with a great deal of focus on our relationships with the external world and all the people who are in our lives. As we grow, we learn languages, beliefs, values, norms, rituals, behavioural patterns and assimilate the behaviours of those around us who we relate to. Our personalities form and we start to have experiences that are forever imprints of how we relate to the world and life. A large part of our survival on this planet is our ability to have a sense of belonging. Consequently, it is only natural that our first instincts are to want to focus on connections and relationships outside of ourselves so that we have a sense of being part of something.

Through the experience of the cycles of life, we realise as we get older, as we experience life that; the relationship with self, self-growth and selfdevelopment are crucial pillars to enjoying life on earth a lot more. A healthy relationship with self, enhances the sense of belonging that each of us yearn for. It brings us to a space of experiencing love, purpose, joy, creativity, forgiveness, grace and peace. Taking time to develop self, nurture self and embrace self, enriches our relation to the environments, people, things,

places and situations we find ourselves in. We learn to be the change we want to see in the world. As self, we show up and happen to life instead of life showing up and happening to us.

When we reflect and think back to the first 9 months of our existence, we acknowledge that each of us were in pure formation in this season of our lives. Each of us has a profoundly unique and magnificent functional body that we find ourselves in because of these first 9 months of our existence. In essence, the relationship with self is all about harnessing and remembering that deep sense of selfappreciation, love, acceptance and grace of being, the magnificent you that you were to be. When life is happening to us, especially in these times we are living in, we have an opportunity to pause and adjust our focus on harnessing our deep sense of self love through nurturing our relationship with ourselves so that we happen to life.

The relationship with self is one I absolutely respect and honour and intentionally nourish and nurture. I drew up tips that are easy to remember and with lots of practice you can grow your relationship with self. You will witness your other relationships shifting because you genuinely nurture and love yourself.

1List 10 positive things that you like about yourself

On a monthly basis write a list of “TEN Things I LIKE About Myself”. You can do this on paper, your computer, phone or tablet. Read these out loud as affirmations to yourself. Acknowledge how you feel when you hear them. Lean into accepting these ten things you like about yourself by reading them out to yourself daily. Practice this and witness the shift as you grow in self appreciation. At the end of the year, you will have a list of “120 Things I Like About Myself”!

2Start to appreciate the present moment that you are

in. We are often living in the past and running on emotions of guilt, shame, frustration, anger, regret and so on. Other times we are in the future and are running on emotions of worry, anxiety, fear, doubt, etc. We forget to pause and be in the now. You have the deep knowledge of what makes you safe to be in the now. So, pause, take 5 deep breaths in and out of the nostrils and connect with your thoughts, emotions and body. Become aware of yourself and be present in the moment, here and now.

3Eat nourishing food High nutritious food is important for helping us to show up in life healthy and

strong. The nutrients feed our cells and enhance our vital energy and sense of feeling well and healthy in our bodies. Be gentle and kind with your body, and ever mindful of what you nourish it with.

4Movement of your body Devote time to yourself daily.

Dance, stretch, flow, hike, walk, run, exercise, swim, shake, move, be active and use your body, get into it and express yourself in it, in the best way that feels most comfortable to you.

5Intentionally listen actively Be intentional in what you

listen to. Actively listen to music, documentaries, movies, podcasts, audio books, radio stations and audio platforms that make you feel positive and empower you and enrich you. Be mindful of what you listen to and the underlying message that it carries, as this influences our thoughts, beliefs, values and behaviour.

6Spend time in and with nature.

Express gratitude for nature, walk barefoot, feel the warmth of the sun or a fire on your skin, feel the different temperatures of water, step outdoors, engage with animals and become aware of all living things, allowing you to connect with self.

In stepping into the magnificent human beings we were born to be, growing our relationship with ourselves is imperative. After all, how you treat yourself is how you relate to the world and how it relates to you. Honouring self and the relationship with self is the greatest act of service that you can give to humanity.