Last week I invited readers to engage in a tool called acknowledgement. The feedback I am getting is that people feel resistance to acknowledging themselves. I too, felt that way when I first started. What if there were a way to make it easier? Here are couple of tips that you can use:
1. Keep in mind the value of using acknowledgment –
2. It may be easier to acknowledge in a way that affirms rather than invites judgment. Let me explain- I find at times when I acknowledge myself or others, I mentally add on – “that was good” or “that was bad” and by doing so allow the judgment to be what I am connecting to. Instead you might try- “That worked for me” or “That didn’t work for me.” When I acknowledge using “That worked for me!” I instill the knowing that I made a choice that worked for me and my response is- Yes! I did that, and/or What else am I capable of?
I don’t have to label it as good or bad. And on the flip side when my acknowledgement is “That didn’t work for me”- I can begin processing what I can do different and what else I know about that so that I can be more aware in the future. This is easily done in the moment. Then if you want to further reflect through journal writing later, you can still do so. Keep it simple and easy to do so that you will continue to practice.
As you move into being more aware through your daily practice, you might also allow yourself a bit of time at the end of the day to ask:
What worked for me today?
What didn’t work for me today?
And you may have figured this out by now, but I wonder how these would also work as you teach your kids to self-acknowledge. Would this be a helpful tool for them to begin to use? One family
offered the suggestion of having these as questions at dinner time.
Have fun playing with this version of the tool for Acknowledgement and let me know what your experience is.
- to know what is true
- to be in more awareness
- to own and claim what I have or haven’t done without judgment
- to choose to change what isn’t working
- to stand in confidence of who I am
- to know that I am valued and appreciated
- to fully embrace the joy and ease of living the life that I desire
2. It may be easier to acknowledge in a way that affirms rather than invites judgment. Let me explain- I find at times when I acknowledge myself or others, I mentally add on – “that was good” or “that was bad” and by doing so allow the judgment to be what I am connecting to. Instead you might try- “That worked for me” or “That didn’t work for me.” When I acknowledge using “That worked for me!” I instill the knowing that I made a choice that worked for me and my response is- Yes! I did that, and/or What else am I capable of?
I don’t have to label it as good or bad. And on the flip side when my acknowledgement is “That didn’t work for me”- I can begin processing what I can do different and what else I know about that so that I can be more aware in the future. This is easily done in the moment. Then if you want to further reflect through journal writing later, you can still do so. Keep it simple and easy to do so that you will continue to practice.
As you move into being more aware through your daily practice, you might also allow yourself a bit of time at the end of the day to ask:
What worked for me today?
What didn’t work for me today?
And you may have figured this out by now, but I wonder how these would also work as you teach your kids to self-acknowledge. Would this be a helpful tool for them to begin to use? One family
offered the suggestion of having these as questions at dinner time.
Have fun playing with this version of the tool for Acknowledgement and let me know what your experience is.