One of my luminary clients who works in a government agency asked me how to use self-appreciation to help her feel better about Mondays.  She was struggling with the day-to-day of a very challenging work life while she is creating the life of her dreams.  

I asked her what part of the day was the most challenging.   She laughed and said, “Getting out of bed!”

“Great!  That is the perfect place to start appreciating yourself!”

When you are just starting out on your luminary journey, a part of you knows that you can create the life you want, and the other part of you is still living a life you are wanting to grow out of.  I remember feeling this way many times in my life.   It is the feeling of living in the gap between reality and possibility.  It can be dark and lonely.

This is the perfect place to practice the sacred art of self-appreciation, when you notice you are not where you want to be.

I remember those days.

Here is what I suggested to help her beat the Monday morning blues.

Appreciate yourself for being aware that you don’t want to wake up and go to work.

Appreciate yourself for feeling frustrated with yourself, for feeling anger at your boss, for feeling like you don’t want to work another day.

Appreciate yourself for always having a choice.  Appreciate that you could stay home if you really wanted to.  Appreciate yourself for playing with the idea of just quitting.  Appreciate yourself for your power to choose:  In bed, or out of bed.  Appreciate yourself for being alive (though if you are suicidal this may not help, so don’t think about it.)  Appreciate yourself for taking the time to appreciate yourself before you get up.

“Self-Appreciation can help you overcome the Monday Morning Blues.”

Then if you feel like venturing out a little broader, ask yourself,  “What makes me amazing?” Then appreciate all of the amazing things about yourself that have nothing to do with going to work.

For instance this client/friend I am referring to here is so AMAZING!  She LOVES life and loves meeting new people.  She can connect with anyone and loves to hear people’s stories. Although she is working in a government job that she may not enjoy on Monday mornings, the rest of her life is full of adventures in meeting and interviewing other adventurous people.

When I used to do my morning work around gratitude, I would start with my toes, “I am grateful for my toes.” and then I’d move up my body and show gratitude to every inch of my body.   My work with self-appreciation has so dramatically changed my inner world, that I happily appreciate my toes and every inch of my body.   The vibration of appreciation includes the vibration of gratitude, who knew!

A part of us is always emerging and growing into more of who we are designed to be, so you can use self-appreciation as a tool to help you be present to where you are and navigate the deep waters of the gap between where you are and where you really want to be.