I actually belief some level of self-doubt is normal as it allows us to recognize we are not always right. With some self-doubt we question and challenge ourselves to reflect inward. Therefore, upon my introspection, the word grace came to mind.

Cultivating aliveness with grace.

The less mature me would have wanted to assertively beat this feeling by aggressively changing my state. The more soulful me is recognizing it and gently shifting the state with acts of kindness.

Let me share some of the practices I used in order to handle my shreds of self-doubt with grace and feel more alive.

1. Diversify beauty: In order to see my beauty, I needed to notice the diversity of beauty in others. The vast body types, the distinct features, the character traits, the openness, the intellect, the heart, the vulnerability – ultimately the essence of the people who’s path I crossed. This widen my perspective of beauty, which in turn shined a light on my unique and beautiful essence.
2. Mirror work: This is where I needed to not just say, “you look beautiful today Patty” but instead say, “you look radiant today, your body is splendid, your hair is luscious, your eyes sparkle”. The moment a criticism showed up like “the lines around my eyes are getting deeper, the bags under my eyes are huge, and so on…” I needed to cancel that thought and replace it. This is the hardest one for me as I am in a dance studio in front of a mirror on a daily basis….so every time I looked at myself, I had to change the script when any judgemental thoughts showed up.
3. Sensual enhancement: Women do not feel beauty or aliveness when they do not feel the wholeness of their entire body, their energy and their mind. Whenever I felt a trigger or tightness, the quickest way for me to get back to homeostasis was through my breath. The slow deep breathing would melt away any tightness held in my body, which then created more space for pleasure through a heightened awareness of my senses, immediately bringing me to the present.

When you embrace your entire body, feel whole with ever part of you, then you come ALIVE! This feeling of aliveness requires you to handle every aspect of yourself with grace – that simple elegance of movement and flow.