My husband and I are slowly reading a Jack Canfield book together, who suggests doing a mirror exercise every evening for at least several months. We’ve been doing it, privately, without each other hearing.

The idea is to stand in front of a mirror and look yourself in the eye. Don’t look away. Keep eye contact with yourself. Congratulate yourself–out loud– for every itemized success you’ve had that day, large and small. Do not mention any failure or room for improvement.  Only think of and speak about those places where you did a good job. When you’ve covered everything you’ve done right for the day and appreciated each positive thing fully, tell yourself you love you, earnestly, with eyes locked with the eyes in your reflection.

This is proving very interesting. I recommend trying it.

It is powerful to own each day everything we’ve done and thought that was good and right. Usually we are so hard on ourselves and rarely do we look at and communicate directly with ourselves, especially out loud, while looking ourselves in the eye. It starts off a bit awkward or embarrassing, but as you do it, it grows on you. You feel more in relationship with yourself, and more of a championing friend to yourself.

In thinking about this, it is natural to realize all over again that the first chapter of Genesis tells us we are made to as God’s image and likeness. When God does the mirror exercise, it is you and me that God is looking at. Think of that amazing fact!

God never feels awkward and embarrassed, but rather lives for that relationship. God looks us in the eye, while acknowledging all our Godlike qualities and attributes, and all we’ve done well.

All the good God is, we are too, which is incredible to own. Knowing we are derivative, and not the source for this, makes accepting that gift easier, and saves us from pompously acting like we’ve ever done anything of ourselves.

When I’m looking at myself in the mirror, it is clear my reflection has no volition of its own. If I raise my arm, my reflection does too. Likewise we mimic all that God is and does.

This blows the whole theory that we have minds of our own. We are humbly obedient to the way we are made, and our purpose in existing is for God to see God’s own Godlikness.

Thinking this way has made the exercise of looking at myself easier. As I affirm my oneness and likeness to God, including all of God’s wonderfully spiritual qualities and attributes, I realize that this is tantamount to loving myself.

So each day, I know that the foundation underneath any good that I have done that I’m acknowledging and congratulating myself about, is actually gratitude for the good that God has worked in me. I am the expression of God who is the amazingly generous giver of all good.

This is such a joy to interface with!

Love yourself on the basis of how excellently you are made, and what good God is working in and through you.