do you only see thorns?

"Some people could be given an entire field of roses and only see the thorns in it. Others could be given a single weed and see the wildflower in it. Perception is a key component to gratitude. And gratitude a key component to joy" ~ Amy Weatherly

I wonder... which person are you? Do you only see the thorns, or do you see the wildflowers? Or do you see both, depending on the situation?

I know, for me, I have a tendency to see the thorns when the situation is personal or self-created whereas I tend to focus on the beautiful wildflowers in everything else around me.

For example.... a pimple. A teeny tiny pimple.

When it's on my face it feels like a volcano has just erupted on my face and, in my eyes, it looks absolutely huge. On another person's face, I wouldn't even notice it.

And I think that's quite common, especially with women. We can see the positive and the beauty around us but often fail to see it within us. Rather we zoom in on our wrinkles, our flabby and saggy bits, our cellulite...

Why is that?

Why can we see beauty outside of ourselves and yet fail to see it in ourselves?

A lot of it has to do with conditioning when we were young. Where, for example, young boys were encourage to play in mud; getting dirty like that would be frowned upon for a girl.

But more so, it's the impressions we see day in, day out in the media. The photo-shopped models with 'perfect' skin and 'perfect' figures. It's everywhere we turn... unavoidable. So of course it's going to impact you and how you feel about yourself because, quite honestly, not one of us (even the models themselves) can meet such 'perfect' standards and appearances.

So why do we do it to ourselves? Why don't we stop seeing ourselves as thorns?

Simply because it's easier said than done. It's not easy to re-write years of conditioning and beliefs... that takes time and consistent effort.

But the good news is we can re-write our stories and that is something I've been working on over the last year, and more.

I've been working on my mindset, re-moulding it into a mind that sees more joy and beauty than it ever did before and, in particular, in relation to myself. Because I have been practising every single day, looking in the mirror and telling myself "I love you".  And believe me when I say, I felt absolutely ridiculous doing this at the start! But now when I look in the mirror I no longer zoom in on my imperfections. Dare I say it, I feel admiration, even love, for myself now.

I no longer look to seek out the thorns on my face or in my person, now I look to celebrate the beautiful wildflowers with-in and with-out me.

And I invite you to do the same. Three very simple words, "I love you", can have such a beautiful and powerful effect on us. If you don't believe me, try it. Even for just a week. Every time you see your reflection in the mirror tell yourself, out loud, "I love you". Even after a week you'll notice a difference.

Viv xx