Gratitude

I wake-up everyday with an eye towards the mirror in my dressing room. Every morning I analyse my appearance and wish that some areas could be better than what they currently are. Like you, I want so many things, that I know will need hard-work to achieve.

Some want better hair; some naturally-clipped brows; some want bigger eyes, some smaller; some want fuller lips, some thinner; some want a petite body, some curvier; some want thicker thighs, while some thinner.

This process of wanting ‘better’ physical traits seems very trivial and nonsensical when you read it, but a study by Body Image, reported by Cosmopolitan, says that only 28% males and 26% females were satisfied with their physical appearance, while 72% and 74% respectively, were not. This will make you think again-are you under this 72% or 74% or not?

Well, these wants for better features according to the society’s standards, is the major reason for insecurities, depression, anxiety, self-doubt, self-consciousness, anorexia and even suicidal tendencies in people. But how can we change this condition of wanting unbelievable things and becoming sick by doing so, slowly but effectively?

Take my advice. Whenever feeling bad about yourself or wanting things that are emotionally draining you, visualize these images:

Your parents, siblings, family should be thought of first and foremost. Think about how they have taken-care of you, stood by you, been with you through every hardship. They will break if you take an irrational step just because you couldn’t have a better body. They will blame themselves for not being able to make you love yourself.

Next, think about people who have nothing- no family, food, shelter, clothing or even properly-formed bodies. They are living their lives with less than 10% of what you have and are unhappy with.

This brings us to our next lesson-gratitude. Why is gratitude important through the journey of self-love? I’ll answer it in two words-To Heal. To heal yourself from the chronic illness of self-doubt, only gratitude acts as the medicine. Gratitude towards God, your parents, your friends, your well-wishers and your body. You have so much more than the majority of the world-value it, express gratitude for it and cherish it.

Self-love, I repeat is a milestone that one encounters only when one travels on the path of gratitude.

So, express gratitude and you will automatically inculcate self-love.