Today I had the great honor of talking with Michelle Phillips on her Hay House Radio show, The Beauty Blueprint. One of the exercises she suggested was writing out a list of your beautiful qualities. I’ve decided to take on the challenge myself tonight. It feels a bit funny to be doing this publicly, rather than in my private journal – it seems kind of arrogant. But I tell people all the time that there’s a distinction between acknowledging your goodness and being arrogant, so here I go taking my own advice. 🙂
My beautiful qualities…
I am kind – it’s one of my personal goals to be kind to everyone from the CEOs of organizations to the baggers at the grocery store. I make an effort to look people in the eye and say thank you, and in some cases it may be one of the few times in a day that someone feels seen and acknowledged. I must tell on myself that this morning I had a conversation with
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someone at the telephone company where I was definitely not demonstrating my kindest behavior. To that woman, I deeply apologize. I wish I could reach out to you personally, but this will have to do – I am sorry.
I am generous – I give freely of my time and energy to the people whom I love.
I am loyal – In the game where people name what type of dog someone else would be, I am invariably described as a golden retriever…loyal and affectionate. That works for me!
I am a teacher – it took me a long time to feel okay saying this. But I do say it now and it’s one of the things that I respect most about myself. Have you ever done that exercise where you list five people you admire, then list the five qualities of each of those people that you admire, then tally the qualities that show up most frequently on those lists and recognize that those are the qualities that you already exude and/or are striving to embody? I’ve done that exercise a few different times, and even though the names on the list may change slightly over time, EVERY SINGLE PERSON I’ve ever listed is a teacher. I might as well get over arguing about whether I can do it and just be what I am! 🙂
I inspire people – I still have a hard time saying this because it feels very boastful; but the truth is that people say it to me all the time. And when I get over feeling embarrassed by that, it’s what I truly want to do, so again…let me just get over rejecting it and say “yes, thank you.”
I am awake/waking up – One of my favorite lines in Elizabeth Gilbert’s masterpiece Eat. Pray. Love. goes something like this – “Look – I understand that an unexamined life is not worth living, but do you think I could someday have an unexamined lunch?” That’s a perfect description of how I live my life – constantly examining, questioning, and working to be a better me. It’s not always the most pleasant path to walk on, and the fact that I’m willing to do the work is another of the traits that I admire about myself.
What’s on your list of beautiful qualities? What qualities do you most admire in others? Can you see them in yourself?
It’s a great exercise and I’m grateful to Michelle for suggesting it. It’s funny that this is the first Valentine’s Day in a few years when I’ve been on my own, and yet it’s been the most joyous and beautiful Valentine’s Day that I’ve had in years, because today I’ve been happy being me. What a miracle!
PS – If you missed the radio show, click here for the rebroadcast schedule here.
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