Exercise 3: Self-Appreciation
At night, after you lie down in bed, before you fall
asleep, let your mind wander, thinking about the
day. Do you remember moments in which you
experienced one of your positive qualities? If you do
not remember anything for that day, think back as
far as necessary to come up with a memory
regarding this positive part of yourself. Let your
memory carry you fully back into the “scene” of
your experience. Remember your surroundings and
what you did when you experienced the positive
quality. Maybe you remember what you felt
emotionally and what you sensed in your body. If it
is hard to remember details, you can make these up
as you stay in touch with your overall impression of
the scene.
Now, put your attention into your heart or chest
and allow yourself to feel appreciation for yourself.
Notice your joy and maybe a sense of fullness or
expansion. “Yes but.. .” thoughts may arise. You
cannot control their appearance but you can choose
not to keep focusing on them. You could tell your
critical mind, your Inner critic: “Thanks for sharing”
and come back to your sense of appreciation. Bring
your attention back to your gratitude.
If you enjoy this, move to another quality and
follow the same process. When you feel really good,
let yourself fall asleep.Exercise 4: Mutual Appreciation
The previous exercise can be done in the form of a
dialogue with a partner, friend, or family member.
Suggest to them that, in the evening, the two of you
tell each other what each one appreciated about the
other person during the day. You can ask the other158 E-Motion Picture Magic