Do you avoid the mirror?
Important questions to ask yourself...
What triggers your standards?
What is your general body language?
How do your standards make you feel?
Our standards should be challenged on a daily basis, why? Because without challenging for better we simply live in self doubt, contempt and don’t change.
What did the great Albert Einstein say about insanity? “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.” Don’t worry I’m not calling you insane, far from it. I‘m just saying unless we act we simply can’t change.
How we perceive ourselves is generally how we live day to day. We need to remember sometimes today might be our last day, so if it is are you on the right path? How often to you literally live the moment? Do you eat your meal in less than 2 minutes or are you willing to take as long as it takes to taste and explore each mouthful? We live routine and build a routine subconsciously on what works nice and easy for ourselves. It’s human nature, our nature is NOT to challenge ourselves every single day, it is NOT our nature to challenge our standards of ourselves. Because these things are hard and we are hardwired to take the easy way. So going back to this weeks topic “the mirror”, I have this weeks task for you below.
This weeks task...
Step 1... Get a full length mirror
Step 2... Stand naked
Step 3... Now look at yourself and say the words “I’m lucky to have”
Step 4... Continue those words with a smile and say “these eye’s so I can see” or if your lucky enough to be able to stand say “I’m lucky to have these legs which enable me to stand”
You could honestly go on all day with what your lucky to have, because I’m telling you now there are people out there which would say I’d happily have my sight back for a bit of lower back fat. I’d be over the moon if I could stand to then have the thought of I don’t like my wobbly knees! You need to learn to value your body and its ability to give you life! We all need to learn to love ourselves and that comes from looking in that mirror. I’m sorry but if it’s body dysmorphia hey I hold my hand up! Yes I’ve been there, this is why I think competitive bodybuilding can actually have a dramatic mental health challenge to how you look and feel about yourself. Your constantly being critical about your own body on sometimes over 5 times daily looking in that mirror, when you wake up, after each meal, after each training session and before bed. I’m telling you now that much judgement upon yourself takes some incredible will power, especially after the show.
What I’m trying to say is that nobody is truly happy when they look into the mirror, so the next time you do I want you to do 3 things. Get up close, smile and look into your eyes. Don’t you dare look anywhere else for a moment haha, look into your eyes keep smiling and say I’m so lucky to have, let your mind wonder and then look at what your thinking about. And trust me girls if its bad hair, try being a guy who is bald not by choice, I’m one of them! Do this daily as your new morning routine before brushing your teeth.
A slightly longer blog this week but I feel very strongly for those who judge themselves so critically when looking in the mirror, I just want to hug them and tell them, it’s okay, I’ve shared those thoughts or very similar thoughts of how your feeling right now! What’s my medicine? I smile and wave saying goodbye bad thoughts, haha literally that! I smile and think of what I appreciate the most then wave at myself in the mirror. Yes, it could be seen as madness but I tell you what, it helps, you have a little chuckle and walk off in an uplifted and almost empowered mood.
Okay so you know the drill now, email me (info@mattmorganpt.co.uk) let me know what your challenge is when you look at yourself in the mirror. If it’s something I can help with I will, If it’s not I will refer you to someone in my network that can.