Sunday, December 26, 2010

Appreciating How You Have Grown

We approach the completion of another year. Beginnings and endings are natural times to evaluate where you are and the progress that you have made.


Why Measure Your Progress?

Acknowledging yourself for your healing is important! When you consciously recognize your progress, the improvements are integrated into your body and into your life in a deeper way. Recognizing your successes also encourages you to do even more.

In my work with clients, frequently people don't realize that things have changed until I ask questions focusing on identifying the improvements. Here is a dramatic example. This client had suffered from headaches every single day for many years. We had been doing bodywork for several months, when I asked how she was doing with headaches. She realized that she hadn't had a headache in two weeks! In fact, she had completely forgotten about having them. Had I not asked, she would not have recognized that she had experienced significant healing.

Here is another example. I have been encouraging a client to do stretches and exercises focused on improving flexibility and decreasing discomfort. A couple of days each week, he does some of the stretches and exercises. But he scolds himself for not doing all of the exercises and for not doing them every day. I help him recognize that he does more now than he was before, and I have him consciously experience how his symptoms have improved. When all he focuses on is his failure, he feels negatively about himself and tends to skip the stretches altogether. Expecting perfection is unreasonable. Appreciating his positive changes encourages him to do more.


Where Did You Start?

I encourage you to make a written record of how you used to feel. Write down what you recall about symptoms and issues from the past. This gives you something to compare with later.

Here are some things that you could put into your personal "Before" record. The options are infinite. This record is exclusively for your use. What would it be helpful for YOU to include?

- Photographs of your body, and of symptomatic areas, if this is relevant
- Lists of issues and symptoms. Include their intensity, frequency, what triggers them, etc.
- How you feel about your life and about yourself as a person. Are you satisfied or dissatisfied? Are you doing what you want to be doing? Do you have what you need?
- How do you feel about your health and about your body?
- Your weight and other numerical measures that are relevant. How do you feel about these issues?
- Do you diet? What sorts of foods do you eat? How do you feel about food?
- Do you exercise? What is significant to include about this?
- How well do you sleep? Number of hours per night.
- How do you feel about your relationships and friendships?
- What is relevant to record about your work? How do you feel about work?
- What is relevant to record about your financial status? How do you feel about money?
- How is your spiritual life?
- Are you learning and growing?
- How are you doing with your goals and dreams? Do you have action plans for accomplishing them?
- What are you doing to help yourself?
- Is there anything else?


Celebrate Your Successes!

Whether or not you have made a Before record, take time to evaluate your progress. Celebrate every success, large and small. Even if you have not accomplished as much as you think you should, acknowledge yourself for what you HAVE accomplished. A little celebration and a pat-on-the-back goes a long way towards encouraging future success.

Celebrate any time that you are successful in achieving something. Celebration is worth doing year-round.

Have a Wonderful Year of Growth and Success!
Remember to Breathe!
Sandra
Sandra Lynn Lee
Certified Healing Codes Practitioner
Miracle Inspirations
www.MiracleInspirations.com
sandra@MiracleInspirations.com

Everything in this newsletter is the opinion of the author and is provided for informational and educational purposes only. When information is drawn from outside sources, both credit and access to the source are given, when available.

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