Now, this is a new challenge that I am up to, and hopefully this one is going to be the one that I manage to finish. It did not go so well with the 10 days challenge to keep my brain away from negative thoughts (Tony Robbins’ idea) (you can read about it here https://clarasprojects.com/my-mental-diet-journey-challenge/), but I have high hopes for this one.
While listening to some of Lisa Nichols youtube videos, I came across to one of her stories, where she tells how she dealt with depression in 30 days. I am not a doctor, so I am not saying that this method will cure our depression, and I am also not depressed, but nevertheless, I want to try to increase my self-confidence in the next 30 days following Lisa Nichols’ advice.
She would spend 25 minutes per day in front of the mirror, every day, for 30 days, telling to herself: I am … (and filling in the blanks with who she was/ who she is. This to remind herself of who she was. And it all makes sense. I find myself guilty of forgetting who I am from time to time. Getting caught up on school, work, daily routines, kids and food, it’s so easy to forget yourself. And even worse, to forget who you are.
So, for the next 30 days, I will be spending time in the mirror, every day, not for 25 minutes, but at least 5 minutes, discovering and reminding myself who I am.
Day 1
I am happy. I am smart. I am healthy. I am cute. I am … uf, I am running out of words. What else can I say? I don’t know … what should I do to fill up the 5 minutes? It is so weird to look at me in the mirror. Why is that? I have no problems being in front of the mirror when I put my make up on, so why I am feeling so weird now?
I left … I spent 1 minute in the mirror.
Day 2
I am happy. I am smart. I am healthy. I am sexy. I am happy. And smart. I am good at Norwegian. I am a good student. I am good at start-ups calculations. Wow, already an improvement in the compliments I am giving myself. However, there are 4 minutes left to spend in front of the mirror. Why should I say? Let’s repeat again: I am happy. I am sporty. I am good at Norwegian.
I look at myself in the mirror. It is still strange. I feel uncomfortable. But I keep looking. I notice my face. I am not smiling. But I just finished saying that I am happy, why am I not smiling then? Let’s put a smile on this face. Yes, now it’s better. I am pretty again.
Day 3
It’s getting better. I added I am kind, and I am caring to my list. The awkwardness starts to slowly fade away. Still there though, but only 80% of the time.
Day 4
I am dancing today while telling myself all the amazing things I am. I have also included some of the things that I am working on. I had to correct myself, as I used: “I want to” , instead of “I am doing it now”.
Day 5
The list is growing, the dance it’s a bit awkward today, but still doing it. 70% on the awkwardness level.
Day 6
Today I used the words: “I am not giving up on my dream, I am funding my dream”. Not the worst start of a Monday morning. I stopped with the dance. 50% on the awkwardness level.
Days 7, 8, and 9
I am getting a bit bored of using the same words every morning. I am trying to find new words to describe myself. It’s so strange how my vocabulary can be so rich when it comes to certain areas, and so poor when it comes to describing myself. Awkwardness level is almost down to 0%.
Days 10, 11, and 12
Yeah, 0% awkwardness, but still not a big improvement in finding new ways of describing myself. I did an analysis after the first 10 days, and discovered that the word that I used the most is “smart”. Yep. So, my new challenge now, is to answer the following question: “What else am I besides smart?” Or even better “Who I could have been if I haven’t defined myself as being smart and spent my last 25 years on studying and trying to prove others that I am indeed smart?”
Yep, cause all I know to do, or what I do the best, is study. I am good in mathematics, always have been. I have always studied hard, in order to have good grades, because, back then, I thought that this would be the secret of getting out of poverty. And it has been for me in the past. But now, it is time to rediscover myself. Who am I besides that? A question we should all ask ourselves. What belief has kept you back, believing you are in a certain way, just so that you would fit in the society, or to seek the approval of those around you?
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