The other day a friend of mine very casually said, “I am so busy that I don’t find time to even have a look at myself in the mirror.” This thought has lingered on the top of my mind for a very long time now.
A number of deadlines to meet, the rush to reach office on time, worries about how to make time for family and thinking about mundane issues most of the times not even concerned to us, leaves us all with hardly any time to give ourselves a thought.
In fact even while choosing what to wear before stepping out of our homes, we are more worried about others and their preferences. “Will my friends appreciate what I am wearing or will they laugh at me?” This is a question, I think many ask themselves today. Others have become so important in our lives, that the “I” is completely lost.
In the past few days, just ask yourself how much time have you really spent thinking about yourself and what you like doing. No, not about your performance at work. No, not the time you spent scrolling through your Facebook News Feed. Not at all the time, you thought about your boss at work. NO! Stop reading this for a while and just ask yourself. I bet the answer is, hardly any time. The reason is — We are more worried about others and consequences of what they think.
In a recent theatre rehearsal, I came across this really special exercise. That moved me a lot and I think it is important for each and every person to do this. So take some time out from your busy schedule and do this simple exercise. It will help you and you will know how, very soon.
Step 1: Keep your cell phones in silent and throw them aside:
Step 2: Find yourself a Mirror (Preferably with no one in the room)
Step 3: Look eye to eye with the person in the mirror:
Yes, that person there is you. Probably it has been ages since you saw him or her.
Step 4: Say a “Hi” to him or her:
I know it sounds a bit funny and crazy. But it is okay nobody is watching you or judging you. Then, how does it matter?
Step 5: Observe closely your facial features:
Look at what you have done to yourself. Look at that face. The face you have been ignoring for so long. Yes, maybe you did look at it occasionally while wearing that makeup, but did you seriously consider your thoughts or was it not about how you must look good for someone else?
Step 7: Now Recall About Your Happiest Times:
I know it is not easy. Maybe you will not find it. But trust me there is one. It is just that with all your tensions, you have buried it somewhere deep in your mind. It can be anything silly or something big.
Step 8: Smile at the person in the mirror:
Yes, that person you see there in the mirror is the reason you had that happiest time. That person is the only reason why you ever able to smile. Thank yourself!
Step 9: Loudly Say this to the person in the mirror, eye to eye “Thank You”:
Don’t forget to smile. No! Don’t feel shy. It is alright to talk to yourself. All of us do. If you haven’t then that is the reason for all your worries.
Step 10: Now one last thing. Loudly tell that person in the mirror – “I love you.”:
I know it is very hard. But while you say it, you have to mean it. Many of them feel hesitant to tell this. But trust me, just tell this one time and you will feel that love.
I am sure by now you know, how important it is for you to take some time out for yourself. You deserve it! It is not selfish to think about your happiness. It becomes selfish when you harm someone for your gain. The right word is Self-love.
