Self Appreciation — is the glue of livingness

Something that was highlighted to me the other day really struck a note within:

“Appreciation is the glue of livingness”.

To me “livingness” is my approach to everyday life. What are my thoughts and actions and am I aware and do I understand where these thoughts come from? Is it my mind that entertains these thoughts or is there a feeling of connection with my body, with my mind present, but not dominating?

Appreciation and gratitude can be awarded to activities, events, and occasions etc. that are considered highlights of our life but

· What do we do the rest of the time, in between the highlights?

· What do we do with the space between the highlights when we feel we are not being recognized or appreciated for what we do and who we are?

From experience, there can be a bit of a slump until the next highlight, a gap when thoughts can kick in, thinking something is wrong, lacking or simply just not quite right and as hard as the mind tries to work it out there isn’t much clarity gained.

Sometimes clarity can come in the form of a bright idea, a new quest or project. Often these are initiated from the mind, a mind that was uneasy or unsettled without the external stimulations. There are many ways we can look for and instigate activities to start the cycle again, the drive to reinstate that feeling of achievement, recognition and appreciation; the type of feeling we can consider a highlight in our day, week, or life.

Appreciation of our daily life can be expanded into its potential and fullness by the awareness brought to the gaps between the highlights in our lives.

· It is the appreciating of the little things we do for ourselves; as simple as smile at ourselves just for being us as we are.

· It is the moment we take those minutes to sit and put our socks on rather than do the one-legged hop.

· It is in every movement that we make in every moment

There would be a trillion examples of bringing awareness to what goes into our every movement, but do they come from the initiation of our body or are they mind driven with our body trying to catch-up?

These moments in between have as much equal worth as the highlights in life.

In fact, for me, I’m discovering that these moments are more valuable and precious than any outside recognition. With the trillion opportunities, I am offered to self-appreciate, at the same time I am able to increase my self-acceptance. This forms a very solid, strong foundation of inner confidence and therefore deepening the connection with my body. My body knows the intrinsic value of appreciation, it is simply waiting for my mind to catch up with the true sequence of how to initiate and activate appreciation.

True appreciation comes from within when the mind and body are working together harmoniously and lovingly with the same purpose at the same time.

While I’m still developing and deepening my livingness (which is a loving work in progress) of all that is possible, what I do know is that when the mind is driven for external confirmation of appreciation it takes my body along for the ride.

The difference is very clear these days because my body will show signs of depletion, tiredness, stress, exhaustion, excess eating, distraction, headaches — you get the picture. These are the physical effects felt when allowing the mind to be the driver.

When we move our body with awareness and appreciation of all the moments in our lives it supports us to begin to feel truly alive from the inside out, a well-being and vitality is present and for me this absolutely confirms “Appreciation is the glue of livingness”.