It is not always easy.  You’re standing in the dressing room with a new outfit on and the fluorescent lighting hits all the “trouble spots.”  Or you just ate dinner and are changing into pajamas and you catch a glimpse of your stomach in the bedroom mirror and are not especially thrilled with what you see.  Very rarely do people voluntarily stand and look at themselves in the mirror out of the joy of seeing what they look like.  They stand in front of the glass and start picking themselves apart.

Does this sound familiar?

The first thing to remember is not all mirrors are created equal.  Some mirrors are wider and make you appear wider, just like you might weigh more on one scale over another.  It is simply a piece of glass that shows you a reflection of your appearance.  Yet you see it as a tool that can facilitate a negative dialogue with yourself.

In a recent blog post I talked about not being so hard on yourself.  Repairing your relationship with the mirror coincides with all the things mentioned in that post.  It all comes back to loving who you are and speaking positively about yourself.  Instead of hiding from the mirror, embrace it.  After all, it lets you take a look at you, and gives you the opportunity to see the wonderful person that everyone else does.  Mirrors reflect what is seen on the outside, but spend a few seconds longer in front of it and you can start to think about who you are on the inside.

Instead of picking yourself apart, look into the mirror and notice parts of your reflection that you are proud of.  Then look harder and see into the person you are looking at.  Think about all the things you handle on a daily basis and be proud of everything you regularly accomplish.  The person you see looking back at you is wonderful, whether or not the fluorescent lighting is flattering or unflattering.  Be happy with the person staring back at you.

Spend a full minute staring at yourself in the mirror and come up with five things you love about the person staring back!  I can’t wait to hear what you discover!