Shifting self-perception from the negative to the positive is one of the hardest things you can do as an adult. With years of baggage, abuse, and doubt, the experiences of the past can hold you back. However, with mirror work, you can begin the process of having compassion for yourself once more by telling yourself you are enough and reframing your anxieties with declarations.
Body Neutrality and Self-Appreciation
Sometimes we can struggle with our physical appearance based on current societal beauty standards. This is common with women and girls, but boys and men feel it too, especially those who use social media a lot. However, you can book yourself a mommy makeover to restore your body to a post-childbirth state for immediate physical appreciation. Yet, bodily gratitude needs to come from the mind too, with mirror work that examines the body and accepts it in the mind.
Telling Yourself You Are Enough
As a core reset that can help you build a solid foundation of self-compassion, telling yourself you are enough can help replace deep feelings of self-doubt with emerging feelings of self-acceptance. While looking into the mirror, hold eye contact with yourself and state “I am enough as I am today, and I am worthy of love and respect.” This phrase holds two powerful statements that shift the brain away from logic and train it to accept your inherent values.
Shifting Self-Perception with Past-Self Re-Parenting
You are probably aware of the psychological benefits of a glow-up, and may have experienced this yourself. However, around 75% of people carry around something from their childhood that causes anxiety in adulthood that they can’t seem to shake. However, with past-self re-parenting, you can heal lingering shame by soothing your younger self. Visualize yourself as a child, and state something like “I see you, and you are safe now”, to build compassion for your current self.
Reframing Anxieties with Declarations
At some point, almost everyone becomes overwhelmed with the struggles that life throws at us. This often results in stress, depression, and anxiety. But did you know that you can reframe anxiety into something positive? It takes some practice, but with mirror work and declarations, you can get there. The trick is to acknowledge your struggles out loud and reverse them with a statement such as “I feel overwhelmed right now, but I know I have the strength to handle it”.
The “Fake It Till You Make It” Mindset
Believe it or not, but fake it till you make it is a real thing that many people have used for success. However, a misconception is that you lie about something, but that’s not how it works. What you do is you change your mindset about your goals. For example, you adopt the mindset of your future self in the position you want, and mirror work can help. Make eye contact and state, “I am capable, confident, and I attract success, and I am aligned with my highest self.”
Summary
Body neutrality and self-appreciation are two major advantages when shifting self-perception with mirror work. You can also soothe your innermost childhood anxieties with past-self re-parenting, and there’s no harm in changing to the mindset of your desired future self.