How do you greet yourself?
Welcome, I am so glad you are here!
This week, I have been thinking about the way we greet ourselves.
The other day, I was taking a walk in one of my favorite parks. As I made my way around my usual loop, there was a dog with his owner. This dog was eagerly anticipating me at the top of the hill, wagging his tail, trembling with expectation, and craning his neck in excitement as he saw me coming, bursting with eagerness for the pets and adoration he seemed confident I would give him—which I gave freely and happily, with consent from his person and after a good hand sniff from him. I had never met this dog, but his greeting made me feel so adored and welcomed. With a smile plastered on my face and warm fuzzies in my heart, I finished the rest of my walk.
That led me to think about how we show up for ourselves and how we talk to and treat ourselves. I will be the first to admit that, often, I am not kind,. I am harsh, impatient, and sometimes cruel to myself.
I began to imagine what it would be like if this were how I spoke to and treated others—this sweet, expectant dog, for example. What if I had just kept walking by, ignoring him, or worse, pushed him away and said something unkind? I would be shocked by my behavior. I would feel awful. Yet there are times I don’t think twice about calling myself an “idiot” for forgetting to complete a task or for doing something wrong. I wake up already being hard on myself for not getting up sooner, not exercising, not meditating—blah, blah, blah.
But what if, when I wake up, I take a moment and connect to a version of the sweet, expectant dog from the park—excited to see me, someone he had never met before—and treat myself the way he greeted me? What if I talked to myself the way I talked to him, full of kindness, happiness, and love? What would change? What might be different?
The Practice:
This week, as I wake up, I am practicing greeting myself the way the dog in the park greeted me.
That might look like giving myself an inner smile as I wake up.
Taking a moment or two to move my body in a supportive way before getting out of bed.
Greeting myself with words of kindness or affirmations, like:
“Good morning”
“I welcome a wonder-filled day”
“Today I choose to take good care of myself”
“Today I choose kindness”
Will you join me in this practice?
Find some movement or choose a phrase that resonates with you, using your own words. Then commit to practicing the phrase throughout your day this week. I practiced this first thing in the morning, but choose at time that feels best for you.
How does it feel to speak or treat yourself in this way? Does it bring up any other feelings—support, discomfort, or something else? Please share with me any changes you notice. Let’s see what happens!
Thank you for being here.
This week….
What I am reading:
This week, I read the book Less Is Lost by Andrew Sean Greer.
A wonderful story of grief, loss, and those moments when life unexpectedly falls apart. It was a story of finding the courage to continue going out into the world despite feeling fear or resistance, figuring things out, and realizing what matters most.
What I am learning:
This week, I have been learning about nervous system states through the lens of Polyvagal Theory. I have been watching a class led by Deb Dana, LCSW.
What I am listening to:
Music: Rebecca Montt. The song I am loving is called “Yo Soy Eterna.”
Podcast: Window Sill Chats with Margo Tantau. I am always inspired by the artists and creatives she brings on her show.
As always, I love to hear from you. Leave your thoughts or comments below!
What are you thinking about this week?
What is inspiring you?
