Beauty and the beast
In a recent Relax Kids session, during our "Believe" section, we used our magic mirror to look at ourselves and think about how sometimes, on the outside, we can appear grumpy, cross, impatient. But when we take a moment to look inside, we know that we have the capacity to be thoughtful, kind and patient. Sometimes, we need to remind ourselves that there is beauty within - to look into our own eyes and remind ourselves that, underneath, we are okay. We are good enough. We are human.
And that’s where our use of affirmations comes in. Telling ourselves we are brave or patient; reminding ourselves we are amazing and strong; giving ourselves permission to be happy, carefree, fun. We have a saying that we use in our classes: "so we say, so we believe, so we become."
Sometimes, other people can help us to see our own beauty, to see that we are lovable: the friend who shows how much they care by being patient when we are preoccupied or distant; the parent who hugs us, even though we have been rude or stroppy: the sibling who shares with us, even though we have been grumpy. But, it works both ways: we can also learn to see past the grumpiness or "bad behaviour" in others. When a child appears to be angry, they may be tired, hungry, confused. When an adult seems to brush us off, perhaps they are preoccupied by bad news, or overwhelmed by work or family issues. Can we learn to look past the outward appearances of those around us and see the beauty within?
Take a moment. Look into the mirror, look into your eyes. What do you see? Can you give yourself permission to let your beauty shine?
Here are 10 affirmations for you to try:
I am patient
I am joyful
I am thoughtful
I am powerful
I am strong
I am generous
I am kind
I am respectful
I am resilient
I am beautiful
To find out more about the Relax Kids' seven step approach to relaxation, have a look at my Relax Kids page, or please do get in touch.