#self-reflection exercises

[motivatedsavages]

Unlock Your True Potential: Overcome Fear and Embrace Resilient Authenticity

There’s a voice inside you that’s been whispering (maybe even screaming) that you were meant for more. More than routine.More than survival.More than checking boxes in a life that doesn’t feel like your own. Not more noise. Not more stress. Not more of the same relentless grind that leaves you depleted and disconnected. More clarity. More purpose. More alignment with who you really are. That…

[joyousjoyfuljoyness]

I'm one of those perpetually-looking-for-the-best-tools-to-improve-my-life kind of people and always am looking for hacks and tricks.

I've tried all kinds of meditation and wellness apps and Quabble with the cutest duck has gotten me doing breathing exercises and reflecting twice a day for months!

My duck is named Quacky and I just wanted to share the cutest outfit I just purchased for him...

He's a FROG PRINCE.

That is all.

[brbgensokyo]

you know i can accept the condescening attitude for getting the legitimate statistic mixed up with a fake and unsourced one - but don't you dare call me a dirty yank. that specific part i wholeheartedly object to. i'd rather you put a bullet between my eyes, at least that way i go out with a semblance of dignity left.

i know reading is hard for those born under Lady Liberty's merciful gaze but i've provided government stats, you might wanna take a look.

[theglowsociety]

YOUR EXCUSE: “I’m Feeling Anxious”

Solution: Start Smaller.

Listen, we GET IT. This is a really hard barrier to overcome and something that affects millions of people. The irony is that mental health struggles can make it harder to get going and exercise, but the lack of exercise makes the mental health state worse. It’s a vicious cycle (sometimes called the exercise-stress paradox), and it can be hard to break.

There is an overwhelming amount of research that links increased movement to improved mental health. Remember this on those tough days! It can be hard to get started, but try lowering your barrier to entry. Start small. Choose the mellowest form of movement, like a walk, a five-minute workout, or a combo of a low-key, short-duration workout. Whatever feels best for your mind and your body.

[foursaints]

saints moodboard 🂱 🂴 🂸 🂽

go to pinterest and make yourself a mood board, whatever that means to you.

thank you beloved jen @quillkiller for the tag… this is so fun. i could look at everyone’s for hours

no pressure tags: @fernhelm @carniferous @sixlane @itsjaywalkers @pupmotif @divinerapturee @rottin6 @freaklaboratorie @bloodbruise @jewishregulus

[wantdead]

happy last day of 2024.

have a good fun and/or relaxing time today. stay kind to yourselves and enjoy today.

love you all, see you next year !!

[yvernal]

Body

I wouldn't call it self-love. Perhaps self-acknowledgement or self-recognition, maybe. Self-acceptance, even.

Recognition that this body is mine, this flesh is mine and that I inhabit it with each inhalation, with every exhalation. That if it's not really a home, it's not a prison nor a cage. Not anymore, at least.

It is a writing exercise. An exercise in description. An exercise in apprehension of the image I have of myself, of this body that I inhabit, of all its qualities and all of its defects.

My feet are flat, just like Mom's are. There's just the gentlest of curves in the center, which I often find myself dragging my fingers over. My toes are uneven, oddly curved and a bit bony, with nails that grow either too fast or too slow. The ones on my big toes will forever remain oddly square since my ingrown toenail surgeries. I have weird patches of hair on it, thanks to hormones, as well as calluses from walking too hard in shoes that weren't made for that. But it's also one of the places where my skin is palest, where the pattern of my veins are the most delicate and easy to follow, like an arachnean lace of blue-green-purple hues.

I love my ankles, despite having managed to fuck up both of them at least once. Sometimes when I look at them, bones and tendons playing under the thin skin with the slightest flex, I think I can understand the Victorian obsession with this otherwise forgettable joint.

I used to hate my calves. I found them too big, too imposing. Almost humorous in the worst way, with the way the muscle sagged when I crossed my legs. Then I started walking, more regularly. Long walks and short trips and climbing stairs... With the hormones, it changed. They are slimmer now, more toned. When I wear high heels, I have some killer legs. My leg hair is long, not that I care much for it. I tend to shave or wax in the summer though, between the sweat and the fact I simply prefer the look and feel of my smooth skin when I have to expose it.

I have knobby, bony knees. Skin marked with small scars from an age where I kept tripping in the playgrounds. They creak, like misaligned hinges, cracking and rattling as if I were in my eighties rather than my twenties. I tend to find it quite amusing.

Thanks to both sides of the family (for once), I have thick thighs. The kind of plush, meaty thighs that spread out when you sit down, taking up space and drawing the eye to them. Hairy, just like my calves. I hate it just a little because it makes my moles harder to spot. I have a handful of them, peppered all over my skin like secret kisses from nonexistent lovers.

I don't usually think about my crotch. It has changed under the influence of hormone treatment, in a somewhat pleasant way that I don't dwell on for too long. I don't wear a packer, although I think about it sometimes, but I have this lingering feeling that this extra bulge would just.... be in the way. My ass, on the other hand, is something I think about a little more. I've been told it looks good, and I guess with all the walking I do and a few pounds on my bones it may as well be. And without the chest to counterbalance, it's all the more remarkable. What matters more for me is that it allow me to sit comfortably for extended periods of time, to be honest.

My hips are wide, in a telling way that used to make me uncomfortable until I discovered flowy high-waisted culottes. Bony, easy to grab, and even easier to bruise. I can't even count the number of furniture corners I've run into. My waist is only slightly smaller, less than before my transition. I'm more rectangular now, less round yet somewhat still soft and squishable.

I'm not active or athletic enough to flaunt abs, and I've gained back the pounds I lost from my bad eating habits and medication side effects. Despite my rather short stature, I don't look my weight. Except maybe for the previously mentioned ass and my little soft belly. When I still had breasts, I hated this little curve with a passion. Now, I find it almost cute in its roundness, its squishiness. It makes me seem softer, more huggable, like something made to held and to be hold.

I used to have breasts, before my transition, and never really liked them, even before the worst surges of gender and body dysphoria. I had surgery last year, during summer, and I just.... I just love my top surgery scar. I only have one long scar, still slightly pink but in the process of disappearing, going from one armpit to the other. It's a beautiful work, my surgeon almost prouder of it than I was. I heal pretty poorly, so some areas are more extensive than others, the skin more wrinkled or weirdly smooth and veiny.

Testosterone injections left me with chest hair I could do without. I love the feel of smooth, soft skin, even if running my fingers through the messy happy trail below my belly button brings a euphoria that's hard to describe. But I like low-necked, openwork tops and just don't like the sight of chest hair protruding from it. And then, with the sweating and the operation I had, ingrown hairs and pimples are frequent during growth.

That's also the problem with my back, strange hair patches and persistent pimples. Otherwise, I think I have a somewhat pretty back, especially the hollow curve of my spine and the arch of my lower back. When I stretch and arch like a cat, I can sometimes feel the stares on the hollow of my back. I have several moles on my back, larger and more visible than on my thighs, with one in particular a little below my shoulder blades.

My shoulders are pretty, a soft slope from my neck to an enticing roundness. I have gained muscle definition with work and injections, not very noticeable but still present in the delicate curve and the discreet shadow when I flex my biceps. My skin is pale there, not as much as my feet but close to it, that same lace of veins easily noticeable in the soft hollow of my elbow. The moles are more numerous, more visible, like a strange game of connecting the dots, personal constellations never written on a map.

My forearms have the softest, most delicate skin, pale and blue-green veins to follow like the course of a stream to my wrists, strangely thin. A family trait once again, fragile joint that I can fully encircle with my hand, strangely resilient despite its apparent delicacy. My hands are less so, rougher and bony, shorter rather than long, more creaking than graceful. Bony joints like my knees, visible tendons like my ankles, I can somewhat see the bone's palor under the thin layer of skin. My nails are neither round nor square, a strange mix of both, if anything. They grow fast, when I allow them to do so. I never chewed on them, rather tearing them off until the white was all gone and the skin left raw. White means stress-free, something I am more regularly now than before. I paint them sometimes, colorful and shiny when life is otherwise too dull.

My collarbone is pretty, delicate bird bones under thin skin, veins like a cobweb and this faint hollow between them, like a natural jewelry case in which to nest my pendants. The beginning of my tattoo finds its source there, a snake with an open mouth and a darting tongue, whose scaly body winds up to my shoulder, its body semi-hidden in chrysanthemums and spider-lilies.

My hair is thick, always has been. Thick and numerous, slippery in a way that makes most hairstyle complicated to achieve. The texture changed since I was in high school and started testosterone, more prone to fluff up in indistinct waves and curls, whose ends caress my nape with every bounce of my steps. Half is my original color, a dark brown with chestnut tones and copper highlights, leftovers from my former fiery red hair dye. Half of it was bleached, a warm creamy-blond underlight peaking through the brown strands and which I should have the roots redone in a month or two, now that my hair has grown several centimeters.

It frames my face nicely, in a way that makes me look soft and gentle. I have a face that's almost more round than oval, with full, plump cheeks and a large forehead, now that I've been graced with a receding hairline. My lips are also plump, even if constantly dry and chapped, despite using chapstick (often a tinted one at that). The drooping corners inherited from Mom give me a permanent resting bitch face, or at least a quietly bored look. When I smile, however, the contrast is striking and my whole face glows.

I think my big, round, thin-rimmed glasses also help with this impression of gentle roundness, as well as making me look like a clichéd librarian. I think from time to time about having eye surgery so I don't have to wear them anymore, or trying to wear contact lenses more regularly.

My eyes are my favorite part of my body, something I have always loved about myself and have received many compliments on over the years. I would be unable to tell their exact color, leaning more towards a blue-green that sometimes looks gray, and ignoring the specks of golden-brown that seem to wander near my pupils. Maybe I will know more precisely in a few weeks, after the meeting in the photography gallery.

I have long and dark eyelashes framing them, as well as thick and quite unkept eyebrows. Fairly light blue-purplish circles, which a good night's sleep or a light massage with a skin care product can make disappear. Noticeable skin texture, large pores and blotchy red patches that won't go away, but I like it like that honestly, uneven and unsmooth.

I'm growing a beard now, even though I thought I wouldn't do it a few years ago. The texture is somewhat rough and some of the hair is oddly blond or red, despite the predominantly brown color of it. It grows a little too high on my cheeks and a little too low on my neck and sometimes I get so fed up with it that I shave it all off. But it gives my face a certain depth, a slightly older look that I quite like, as being mistaken for a high school student gets old fast.

This is my body.

A little creaky, soft and plush around all its bony and cutting edges, more solid and reliable than I could have believed, shifting and yet constant. Something I mold and inhabit, an almost-home and once-prison. I love it as much as I despise it.

This is my body.

This is me.

[dilfdyke]

crying and throwing up these kids mean everything to me

[deeply-winter]

I met my younger self for coffee today.

She showed up five minutes early. So did I.

She brought a book in case she had to wait. I brought my kindle.

She ordered herbal tea. I ordered an americano.

She asked if I managed to leave the north. I said I was trying to come back.

She said she was terrified she’d fall in love. I said that when you meet him, you’ll feel safe. You won’t lose yourself in him.

We hugged. She smelled like the cold.

I hope I can see her again soon.

[vieoeil-riae]

one day i'll write a steb fic that isnt porn... one day... one day...

[flourescencia]

from the deepest of my being the concern I feel for children whose parents are just passively allowing them to become addicted the phone is enormous. the other I took the bus from my hometown, the ride was 3 hours long. a father and his 3-4 year old daughter sat next to me: I'm serious when I say there was not a single moment in the 3 hour interval in which the baby unglued her eyes from the phone, not a single one. looking at her tiny hands scrolling down on tiktok over and over and watching videos with text when she probably can't read yet was so scary because you know she's just watching for watching. the dopamine receptors on that baby are barely developing so imagine when she grows up? I'm scared of what is awaiting this children. and it was dark outside, the lights in the bus were off, and the screen was set to full brightness so her retinas were being blasted too. adults constantly acknowledged that the internet made them lose their attention span but when it comes to children they don't care and it's so miserable

[chicagognosis]

A lecture and meditation for anyone to attend on Saturday, September 14th at 1 PM CT. Beginners welcome!

Lecture Topic: Imagine Your True Self

We perceive with more senses that mere sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. Rather than exclusively depend upon empirical data, it is possible to explore, with psychological senses, the roots and origins of numerous internal states. While openly denigrated by modern society, the faculty of imagination is actually the means by which to investigate non-physical or metaphysical phenomena such as thoughts, feelings, and desires. Through understanding five forms of imagination, it becomes possible to distinguish reality from illusion, the truth of cosmic being from the clever machinations our own mind. Learn also practical techniques to develop positive forms of imagination for the awakening and liberation of self.

Listen to the previous lectures in this course:


Location and Directions

828 Davis St, Suite 5 (Lower Level)
Evanston, IL 60201


There is paid parking across the street in the Sherman Plaza Parking Garage with cheap hourly rates ($6 for 3 to 5 hours).

The 201 and 213 Buses stop across the street at Davis St. and Benson Ave. You can also take the 93, 201, 208, 213, or 250 Bus to Davis and Maple, walking a block East on Davis until reaching our location across from Benson Ave.

The Davis Purple Line stop is half a block away. When arriving, go South on Benson Ave straight ahead to our location on Davis St.

There is also the Davis St. / Evanston Metra Station, whereby you can walk South on Maple and East on Davis.

When you arrive, enter through the front. Go down to the lower level via the stairs to the left or the elevator to the right. We are located in Suite 5.

Please RSVP here if you plan to attend:

We look forward to seeing you!

[coralhoneyrose]

Here's my 2023 ao3 wrapped! And a link to the blank version for anyone who wants to fill it out themselves~

[himanshikaul]

how to

self concept

now, the question is, how do we work on our self concept? not everyone is born with a high self-esteem. some of us are insecure, under-confident, self-sabotaging, etc.

if you believe you are someone with a bad self-concept, you need to understand why it is so. getting to the root of it, will help you. what made you insecure to begin with? your parents, your school friends, your siblings, your friends, your relatives, the media(tv, models, actors, magazines, movies, etc. ), a past boyfriend or perhaps your current boyfriend, etc.

think of all of it, the words they used, the actions that made you believe that your worth is as low as they claim it to be.

understand that this is a reflection of their own image that they are trying to impose on you. the world is a mirror, if they bully you, it is cause they are insufferable, miserable, empty, sad, jealous, etc.

the world will throw a thousand stones on you, you cannot stop them, what you can do, is build a huge wall to protect yourself, this wall is of self-preservation and self-respect. you do not have to block people out of your life, you have to let people bark and protect yourself from the loud noise by being a person of a high self-esteem.

now my suggestion is merely a suggestion, not a universal cure, but let me tell you a story. when i was younger, i would want everyone is school to like me and i was the social butterfly. but my popularity rose down, and i was rejected a few times which made me unbearably sad. i thought my life revolved around others' perception of me and their validation was nectar. until i came across the concept of self-concept. i do not need anyone, i do not need others, i need myself. my life should revolve around me cause it is quite obviously my life. i am the sun, the moon, the stars to myself. if i am gone, nothing in my life would exist. let people have the joy of knowing you, you will only then feel the joy of existing.

you do not need self-help books, you do not need manifestation books, you need nice interesting novels that will keep you invested, and you need beautiful music and an organized routine. go do your skincare, make sure you are neat and tidy. wear good clothes, they do not have to be expensive. if you are a teenager like me, go do that internship, do good at school/uni. if you are older, do not chase men, work on yourself so you can build up your own foundation, so you wont have to depend on a man. and when you do meet a man, do not worry about him liking you, think about whether you would like him or not. do not daydream. stop that and become realistic. work on yourself, become a disciplined person. i firmly believe that only a person with healthy habits can have a good self-concept.

so my suggestion is to incorporate good habits in your life. you cannot become confident when you have nothing that makes you a prize. you are a prize only when you are refined and valuable and precious.

[ruminate88]

One Day It Won’t Hurt Anymore ❤️‍🩹

So this exercise said to: *Look for the nearest door and remember it. Then close your eyes and imagine someone you care for a lot coming in that door…* UGH of course I imagine my ex Andrew 🥺😓 my whole body screaming “nooooooo”!!

Then the exercise said to: *Imagine that person walking up to you and getting down in front of you, taking your hand and looking you into the eyes* by this point, I’m sooo tense and already getting worked up/emotional BUT it’s hard to cry. I want to cry tho….

Finally in the exercise, it says to: *Now imagine that person saying into your eyes, you are good, there is nothing wrong with you and you’re going to be okay.* 😭😭😭😭fuuddgggeeeee…. Andrew is the person who told me “I wasn’t well!!!!!!!!” How could he EVER tell me I’m going to be ok that everything is good with me…. the person who broke you, can’t heal you!! ❤️‍🩹🥺

Already I’m hating the exercise and regretting choosing Andrew but it wasn’t like on purpose it was honestly who came to my mind becuase he’s always on my mind and I know it’s because I need to get over the past, heal the wounds and forgive Andrew/let him go. Why does it feel sooooo incredibly hard to do and why does it suck so much???? 😓❤️‍🩹 Saying “goodbye” to a character that doesn’t exist…. This guy who told me “I love you with all my heart and soul.” That character DOES NOT EXIST!!!! The whole relationship was based off of a false face, lies and selfish intentions. Even when I was brave enough to tell Andrew I battled depression, he used that moment to his advantage. Told me “I was too beautiful to be depressed” and made me believe he didn’t want me to be unhappy but yet hit on me and made advances at me. Made me believe he could take the pain away but yet he continued to cause me pain. Slut shamming me the next day and I was too obsessed with him to understand it. I legit had never been soooo freakin obsessed with anyone like that in my whole life!!!!! Yet I opened up my heart and said “hear Andrew, do whatever the heck you want to me! I don’t care!” and he devoured my heart for his selfish ego…. Took all my praise for him but gave me absolutely nothing in return!!!! 🥺😭❤️‍🩹

ONE DAY….. it’s not gonna hurt anymore. One day I’m gonna be able to think of him and not even bat an eye. I don’t know when but I’m tired. Andrew, I don’t hate you but I can’t trust you and I don’t even know you and it sucks for me!!!!!!! I realize you had to create a false face for me otherwise I wouldn’t have even looked your way. You had to say things you knew I wanted to hear so I would pay you attention. You kept me going after we broke up. You knew my weak spots and you used them to keep getting my nudes… Thankfully you don’t own me anymore 💔💔💔💔 I got away from you but mentally I’m still untangling myself out of the web of lies you weaved in me. Everything you said, you meant the opposite. Your actions never matching your words was just a constant stab at me. You were trying to make me less than you because you saw something in me you want but feel you can’t have. That was my ability to love beyond words. Love is all I’ve ever had and love is still strong within me. I’ll still love always and forever. You didn’t take that from me!! I wanted it to be you so bad. I looked into your ocean blue eyes and wanted to go all the way with you to the end of the world. Andrew, even when the world would be set on fire, I wanted it to be you but you don’t exist 😭 You only mirrored my fire inside of me. Truly you’re darker than dark. You could only poison me. I’m trying to let it all go and forgive you. I don’t know what to believe from you. It’s all one big mystery!!!! Andrew, pleeeeeease take it all back. All the isolation and pain. All the cold nights I cried looking at my phone while you kept my messages on delivered waiting till you felt I suffered enough, then suddenly “love me again” and send me all these text with hearts and kissy faces again…. My heart would LEAP for joy. It always felt like Christmas morning when you’d finally text me. Why did you choose me??? My skin crawls seeing your face in the back of my head!!!!!!!! Yet I think, “oh was it that bad or am I over exaggerating???” 😣❤️‍🩹 idk…. I…don’t… know….

[vonnieonthesolodolo]

✨Grand Rising Everyone & Happy Sunday ✨

8 Tips for a Balanced and Refreshing Start to the Week

Plan Ahead 📅

Take a few moments on Sunday to plan your upcoming week. This can help you feel more organized and prepared.

Relax and Recharge😌

Sundays are great for self-care. Whether it's reading a book, taking a walk, or practicing mindfulness, prioritize activities that help you recharge.

Meal Prep🍲

Consider preparing some meals or snacks for the week ahead. It can save time and ensure you have healthy options readily available.

Connect with Loved Ones 📞

Use Sunday as an opportunity to connect with family and friends. A phone call or a quick message can strengthen relationships.

Reflect🤔

Take a moment to reflect on the past week. Acknowledge your achievements and identify areas for improvement.

Exercise🏋️‍♂️

Incorporate some physical activity into your day. It could be a workout, a walk, or any activity that gets your body moving.

Digital Detox📵

Consider taking a break from screens for a few hours. Unplugging can contribute to mental well-being.

Prepare for Monday🚀

Set yourself up for a smoother Monday by organizing your workspace, laying out your clothes, or tackling any small tasks that can make the start of the week less stressful.

✨Just sharing what worked for me...I hope this helps✨ 💅💋