Updated ADHD: Consistent Action towards Self-acceptance
Last time, we covered the foundational and exponential power of accepting yourself unconditionally. It sounds like a wonderful intention, but how do we get such a concept from our heads to our hearts? The whole process makes the phrase “easier said than done” seem like an extreme understatement. What are the steps to turn this well meaning concept into an achievable action?
6 steps to `Consistent quality time with you:
Plan it: Look at a typical week in your planner while considering your usual routines and energy levels at different times of the day. Which pocket of thirty minutes would you be most primed for allowing yourself undivided attention?
Follow through: Whichever block of time you pick, block this off as an appointment with yourself. You wouldn’t stand a friend or coworker up for an appointment, so why would you stand yourself up for the same thing?
Set it up: During this appointment, pick an uninterupted quiet space with plenty of physical space to move around. Think about the senses you would like to be surrounded by (ie;pretty view, relaxing music, tea or water, blanket, cushion to sit on, relaxing fragrance) Bring plenty of paper, writing utensils, colors, crayons, and paints if you would like.
Characterize it: If the concept of accepting yourself no matter what had a color, shape, texture, temperature, smell, taste, location within your vicinity, what would the answer to those questions be? Once you have written the answers, perhaps draw them all into one complete picture.
Keep it up: Post this picture or physical representation from step four somewhere that is part of your everyday life so you are reminded of it often. Make it a regular part of your set up for each future appointment. Continue to reserve this pocket of time to yourself each week.
Prompts for the future: During your next self-appointments, spend your time contemplating your representation of unconditional self-acceptance, gaze at the representation and see what comes up. The possibilities are endless!!
Ex: On a scale of 0 to 10 (10 being full belief), where do you fall today on fully accepting your own self unconditionally? How come it isn’t lower? How come it isn’t higher? What would need to happen in order to increase that number? What actions can you make toward helping that happen? Journal or draw your responses.
Ex: What would need to happen in your life for this concept to become even more believable? What words would you need to hear to increase the belief? Are these words you could try providing for your own self? Why or why not? Journal or draw your responses.
If you find you need extra support while answering the prompts, visit Psychology Today and look up therapists in your area to start therapy sessions.
To wrap up, turning this intention into a daily action, much less an eventual embodiment, can seem like a momentous task. However, the above steps and ideas will hopefully send you trail blazing a path that becomes clear, well worn, and eventually automatic the more practice it gets. Stay tuned for next time on how all our parts are working for our good, even the ones that seem the most disgusting.