| My first step to Harvest Life Gracefully is to examine | | | | way for me to learn to accept and love myself. |
| your life. To examine your life happenings, events, | | | | When I see that people can love and accept me in |
| relationships, careers, body, attitude and personality | | | | spite of my character defects allowed me to see the |
| and your spirituality. | | | | truth about myself. A mentor can help you to move |
| With examining your life you are getting to know | | | | on from a traumatic experience, encourage you to |
| who you are and admitting what you like and what | | | | make amends where needed, help with problem |
| you don't like about yourself. With this information | | | | solving, offer encouragement when changes are |
| you can use what you like to perk yourself up when | | | | needed and offer praise when things are going fine. |
| you are feeling down, such as lacking in confidence, | | | | Look in the mirror with your eyes wide open, look at |
| and self-worth. This information will help you to | | | | yourself from head to toe, taking note of every |
| decide what you dislike about yourself and then | | | | aspect of your body. Practice this on a consistence |
| when you are willing and ready you can begin to | | | | basis, daily if possible. Take notice to what you like |
| make necessary changes. | | | | about your body and what you don't. Look into your |
| When you examine yourself it is important for you | | | | eyes and praise yourself, tell yourself how you love |
| to be completely honest and to remember to be | | | | yourself and what a good person you are. |
| factual and not to judge good or bad to what you | | | | All of these tips may seem difficult, time consuming, |
| see. A helpful tip that I used when I look at myself, | | | | or embarrassing to do. At first, I wanted to make |
| is to look at myself as if I was someone else. | | | | those same excuses and once I realize that it was |
| Reason for this is because we often hold intense | | | | shame that prevented me from completing these |
| emotions about ourselves, this would be a way to | | | | tips, I began to focus on the shame realizing this is |
| detach from those emotions, that could get in our | | | | what I want to get rid of, therefore it was important |
| way of being honest, judgmental and factual. | | | | for me to learn how to harvest life gracefully and |
| Here are some other tips that I used when I | | | | find my purpose in life. This is why I look at myself |
| examined my life. Hopefully these tips may be helpful | | | | as if I was looking at somebody else this way I could |
| and useful to you. | | | | be more factual and less detached from the intense |
| A journal is a wonderful way to enhance your life. It | | | | emotions. It also help to tell yourself when you see |
| is a tool that can help you to admit and accept who | | | | something you don't like to say to yourself, "I don't |
| you are and what your life is all about. When keeping | | | | like this, but it is O.K." You may need to repeat this |
| a journal you can write about events, activities, your | | | | mantra several times before you feel peace. This |
| relationships, your goals, your careers, how you feel | | | | mantra is a excellent way to learn how to accept |
| about god and or any life happenings that seem | | | | yourself. |
| important to you, starting from childhood until the | | | | When you are ready to make changes that you |
| present day, once you reach the present day, it | | | | don't like about yourself. I found reading |
| would be a good idea to continue to journal | | | | self-improvement books in the expert areas that I |
| whenever something seems to be of great | | | | am struggling with is a helpful tool. Reading will help |
| importance. A journal is a positive way to understand | | | | educate you on how to make the necessary |
| and know yourself, it can help clarify your thoughts | | | | changes. They will give you good ideas and can show |
| and feelings as well as gain knowledge about yourself | | | | you how to make the necessary changes. |
| and your life. A journal can help a person process any | | | | I am a survivor of childhood abuse and I learn how |
| traumatic experience and move on peacefully; it is a | | | | to harvest life gracefully by following five steps, this |
| good way to relieve stress and can benefit your | | | | article is only on the first step. To harvest life |
| health and well-being. | | | | gracefully is not a overnight accomplishment, it takes |
| Find a mentor, a mentor could be a trusted friend, a | | | | time but when you start with the first step you will |
| counselor, a life coach, or a minister. I discover when | | | | begin to feel better and better at each passing day. |
| I communicated to a trusted person about my | | | | The first step is a very important part in learning |
| struggles, problems, likes or dislikes was a excellent | | | | how to harvest life gracefully. |