I really like the universal loving kindness exercise. Today, through technology our world has shrunk. We can talk to people halfway around the world, or fly there in less then 24 hours. Our own "personal" worlds have also shrunk. We are more connected with our electronics than we are with our own relationships. We barely listen to our own bodies let alone other peoples needs. This exercise is a great reminder that people need people. We are very different, but in essence we are all the same. We want to love and be loved; we want to give; we want freedom; we want health and happiness. This exercise made me think of how I was inspired by others to get healthy, and my hope and prayers are to be an inspiration to many others.
The integral assessment is a good tool to use to do a "self check". Life changes, we change, so it is important to do an assessment more than once in your life! My assessment showed that I am very good at loving, serving and listening to others, but it is easy for me to put myself down, and push my needs aside. Over the past couple of years I have changed a lot of my lifestyle behaviors. I used to enjoyed working out, but when I reached 250 pounds it became very difficult. Its been a long and hard journey (that I am still on), but I have learned a lot! I have made it past my 50 lb mark (woohoo!!!) with a bit more to go. More than struggling to stay motivated to exercise and choosing the right foods to eat, I have struggled the most with loving myself. I really need to develop this more so that I can reach my goal and stick with it. I want to be an inspiration to others for them to live their best life and in order to do that, I need to first learn how to love myself. I think I good way to help me in this area is by doing the loving kindness meditation exercise. Also, just keep working toward my goal and keeping a positive mind-set. Sometimes I look back at pictures and measurements and physical abilities to do a "self check" and to also show myself how far I have come. I need to learn that being proud of who I am and what I have accomplished doesn't mean that I am a prideful person. Loving yourself is probably just as important as the right amount of calories...
Haddie
Haddie,
ReplyDeleteWhat a WONDERFUL experience you had with the loving kindness exercise! While I didn't get that much out of it, I do see how powerful these statements are. I made a statement in seminar: "There's only one of us." These statements showed me that I am connected to everyone on the planet and by wanting the very best for me, I want the very best for them. There's no separation. I believe that your clients would benefit from this exercise since you did.
I found the integral assessment confusing however I would love to work with a practioner to get the most out of it. I, too, have struggled with loving myself. I spend about 20 years putting others before me because I thought it was selfish to do so. It sounds like you're on a path of self-discovery. I like your comparison to eating right and loving yourself. They are both important.
Congratulations on reaching your goal of 50 lbs! I appreciate your honesty in sharing!
Christine