The Mirror is Your Greatest Self-Improvement Tool
Photo by Andre Mouton on Unsplash
What do you see when you look at yourself in the mirror?
You.
In the mirror is an image of you who is staring straight back at the real you.
Except there is one crucial difference between you and the person you see in the mirror. This person you see in the mirror is a reflection of you. It’s a version of you that isn’t quite you. The mirror shows a reflection of you from front to back. The room you’re in still looks the same. The left wall is still the left wall. The right wall is still the right wall.
There are no filters. Lighting settings. Or even Photoshop. Just what’s in front of the mirror.
The mirror is a powerful tool
You can learn a lot about yourself by taking some time to just look at yourself in the mirror.
The mirror is your greatest tool for self-improvement. Why?
The mirror can show you who you truly are. This can be scary. But it is worth doing.
Looking into the mirror causes you to analyze yourself. It also causes you to reflect on your experiences, your work ethic, and how you carry yourself.
Introspection is an invaluable tool for becoming aware of how you feel about yourself. It can help you discover and solve problems in your life that you’ve pushed aside. And It also helps you think about your self-image or the way you perceive yourself.
Use introspection to discover the problems that chip away at your happiness. The things that weigh you down. And the things that stress you out.
But you can also use it to find the solution to these problems. You can learn how to deal with and overcome your problems. To become happier. Stronger. Resilient. Improved.
This introspection can propel your self-growth… If you take action.
The mirror brings out your insecurities
Take a look at yourself in the mirror. Stop and stare into it for a few minutes. Ask yourself, “Do I like what I see?” “Do I carry myself like someone who enjoys themselves?” Or “do I look unhappy, timid, or anxious?”
The answer to these questions speaks volumes about you. These questions will show you if you see yourself in a positive or negative light. It puts a spotlight directly on your mental health.
Too often, people view themselves in an overly negative and critical light. They have this feature or that feature they don’t like. They may think they are “too short” or “too tall” and so on. The problem is, most of these features cannot be changed… unless you get expensive plastic surgery work done.
Even after surgery, you’ll still likely see yourself in a negative light. That’s because plastic surgery doesn’t get to the root of the problem of why you are overly self-critical. It doesn’t address the negative self-image that you have.
There’s no point in worrying about the features you cannot control. If you can’t change them, then why continue letting them bother you? This will only continue hurting you unless you decide to let go.
The truth is, most people have features they dislike about themselves. It’s natural. You’re not alone.
It’s how you deal with this dissatisfaction that can promote self-growth.
The way you handle your perceived flaws is a reflection of how you think about yourself. If you constantly critique your flaws, it’s a sign you’re unhappy with yourself. Or you can stop the suffering by accepting these flaws as things that are not within your control, and therefore not worth your attention. Acceptance leads to less suffering and more potential happiness.
Your perceived natural flaws are not the things that are causing you to be unhappy.
The things that aren’t in your control are not worth your mental energy. Don’t let these things take your mental peace away from you.
It’s the things that we can change that cause our unhappiness.
Don’t like what you see? You can change it…
If you don’t like the things you discover after taking time for reflection, ask yourself, “Why?” And then ask yourself, “What can I do to change it?”
Do you think you’re overweight or underweight? You can change that. Do you look like you’re frowning, sad, or angry? You can change that.
All it takes is a little bit of reflection. And action.
Taking action is what is going to solve your problem. If you’ve read my blogs before, you’ve likely heard that taking action is the key to solving problems a few times by now.
It’s true. Taking action is the key to problem solving. You cannot merely think your way out of most of your personal problems. You or someone else took actions that caused you to have these problems. So, to solve the problem, you have to do something along with thinking.
Actions can take a multitude of forms. From seeing a therapist to deciding to go to the gym. There are many actions, both big and small, that will help you solve your problems. And they will help you develop a healthier mindset.
Your actions are some of the things you can control.
Action puts you in the driver’s seat for your own growth. They make you take responsibility for your life.
You are your own worst critic
The truth about life is that no one notices most of the things you think are flaws or problems. They don’t even notice the flaws that you think are giant red flags that say “I’m not good enough.” Most people are too wrapped up in themselves to even notice these things.
This is good news for you. No one is really watching you, ready to critique every move you make. No one is judging every inch of your body to find any minor imperfections. The only person who is going to do that is you. Once you realize this, you can then begin to let go of the problems that drain your mental energy and happiness.
Having a healthy dose of self-criticism helps fuel your self-growth. Too much self-criticism is destructive to your mental health.
It can be hard to tell if we are being too hard on ourselves sometimes. Seek help if needed. Be kind to yourself. Forgive yourself for your mistakes.
Don’t forget to look back on all you’ve accomplished. As long as you are making progress towards a better you, then you’re on the right track. Celebrate the small wins along the way. Keep going.
Final thoughts
The mirror is a physical representation of the introspection we should be doing regularly. Introspection is a powerful tool for growth. Try using it in your personal development and self-improvement processes. It will propel you to grow and become your best self. It can help you live a life filled with happiness and thriving.
To use the mirror for introspection, become your own psychologist. Think about the things that cause you to feel unhappy, angry, scared, and so on. Try to figure out where these emotions are coming from. If there is something you can do about them, then make a change to start solving the problem.
Don’t forget to think about the things that make you feel good, happy, excited, and so on. Keep these emotions in mind. Let them inspire you. And let them guide you to a more positive mindset and a better life.
References:
https://musclemediaonline.com/have-a-long-look-in-the-mirror-to-improve-yourself/
https://www.selfimprovementdailytips.com/podcast/be-kind-life-is-a-mirror