I think I first learned about Shauna Shapiro’s Good morning, I love you practice in Rick Hanson’s Wise Brain Bulletin. I may have been somewhat engaging in this kind of thing before, but reading her story definitely solidified it for me. Every morning, before I got out of bed, I’d put my hand on my heart and say, probably out loud, “Good morning spectacular! I love you, Lisa.”
Now, when you read about her specific practice, you’ll see that I shifted it. Or embellished it. That’s me, and that’s what I do. I added “spectacular” because, for a long time now, that’s been a word I love dearly. A word I use for and with myself to remind myself that I love myself dearly. Actively and dearly. (As I think we all can and should do, but that’s probably another/different blog post.) I’ve been playing with “spectacular” and monogrammed S’s for a bunch of years. I’m pretty certain it’s to help my brain ease and move away from the ways I was “taught” to loathe myself in the cult in which I was raised. (Well, actually to loathe myself without even knowing I was loathing myself, which is – for me – way harder to unravel…and probably another/different blog post.)
So, for quite some time now, “Good morning spectacular! I love you, Lisa” has been my morning practice.
Until it changed…
As if out of nowhere, “I love you, Lisa” became “I adore you, Lisa.” And damn, but does adore feel so much more powerful and joyful than love. And dare I say, at the risk of incurring criticism, accurate.
I am learning to adore myself. Like I “should” have been adored when I was a kid, and like, IMHO, we all deserve to be adored. Every. Single. Day.
Then the other day, “Good morning spectacular!” became “Good morning sweetheart!” and that felt even more right.
More of a way to adore myself. More of a way to fill my heart and soul and very being with love…and to shine that love out to the world.
More of a way to Love With All My Heart.
I am convinced – more than convinced – that we all can and “should” love and adore ourselves. That we all can and should call ourselves “sweetheart” and treat ourselves at least as well as we’d treat our favorite people. Because we all can and should let ourselves be and become at least one of our favorite people.
I know that this practice helps me start my days – even my tougher days – in a centered, grounded, loving space.
Try it (if you want), and let me know how it goes for you.
I’d love to hear your thoughts, and please share this post with others if it resonates with you!
