Exploring The Ways To Increase Self-Apperciation
As a woman, it can often feel like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders and it can keep you from taking the time to experience your life to its fullest. That is why it is so important to practice gratitude wherever you can. Not taking the time to be mindful of that can often cloud how you view yourself and how you relate to others.
With the world in a constant state of disarray and psychological stress on the body, mind, and spirit at an all-time high since the beginning of the pandemic, taking care of your mental health is vital to kick-starting your overall health. One major practice that brings peace and wellness into every aspect of your life begins from within.
Gratitude
According to Robert Emmons, one of the world’s leading scientific experts on gratitude and its effect on mental health and wellness, gratitude is “an affirmation of goodness and a source of goodness outside of ourselves”. This means it is a “relationship-strengthening emotion” that helps us learn to appreciate ourselves and connect with others in a good way. People often think that gratitude is merely a substitute for happiness. It’s so much more than that.
There have been over 15 years of documented studies confirming how gratitude helps benefit our social, physical, and psychological well-being. Gratitude changes your perspective, your health, and your relationships for the better. Here are some ways you can learn gratitude for yourself and others on a daily basis.
Build Your Self-Awareness
The first step in practicing gratitude is to understand why you need it. The only way you can do that is by taking steps to be mindful of your own actions, thoughts, and emotions first, then understanding how to channel that into a more thankful and fulfilling life.
Your self-awareness comes from digging deep into your motivations. Intentional journaling, meditation, and honest discussions with those you trust are extremely helpful in beginning to appreciate yourself. Finding support from loved ones and mental health professionals strengthens your gratitude and journey of self-discovery.
Give Yourself Permission
It may sound simple enough, but women tend to hesitate more when it comes to focusing on themselves. To be clear, giving yourself permission to have gratitude and respecting yourself looks like:
Accepting genuine compliments and positively internalizing them
Creating clear and consistent personal and professional boundaries
Taking time to care for yourself in personal, professional, and relational aspects
Permission is an internalized dialogue where you let go of the idea that you can’t appreciate who you are. Instead, allow yourself to relax, rejuvenate, and find reprieve from stress daily. You deserve time to get through your thoughts and emotions while making sure your actions line up with who you are now and who you are looking to become in the future. Let yourself be kind to yourself.
Express Through Action
Gratitude is only effective when you express it through action for the sake of your own inner peace and in your relationships with other people. Gentle exercises like yoga and walking can help your body connect with your mind as you gain introspection through meditation. Giving your body and mind genuine thanks through nutrition and rest is another way to express gratitude.
Gratitude is the link between giving and receiving, so it’s important to make time to express different ways you respect and appreciate what and who you have in your life. When you are grateful for who you are and know your worth, it ripples out to the people around you in the form of kindness and connection in a transformative way.
Now you know how building self-awareness, giving yourself permission, and expressing through action creates gratitude. You are allowed to live your best life in whatever form that takes. Gratitude helps you get there by breaking that limiting belief that you have to be all things to all people - you just have to be yourself to yourself. Appreciate each milestone and be thankful for every step you climb towards creating a more grateful environment. It pays dividends in your physical, emotional, and mental health for a lifetime.
If you are looking for sessions to get practical tips or need mental support counseling, please reach out to us and start your gratitude journey. KQH Mental Health Counseling is a private practice that provides psychotherapy to individuals, couples, and families. To learn more about our services or book a consultation, be sure to visit our website.
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