I want to help you not just survive, but THRIVE in these crazy times. I’m sending you this daily dose of inspiration, because if we set our compass right, we can sail through this!
“Be the change you want to see in the world” – Mahatma Gandhi
Tip # 43: Practice ‘Mirroring’
Actively practice the ‘Mirroring’ process to strengthen, deepen and uplift the relationships in your life.
Here is how to practice mirroring – Choose an important person in your life…
Week 1: Every day, think 3 really nice things about them
Week 2: Every day, think & say 3 really nice things
Week 3: Every day, think, say and do three really nice things
Week 4 and beyond: keep repeating week 3.
People are instinctively empathetic, when we feel an emotion or mood coming from another person, our instinct is to reflect it back to them, like a mirror. If we are unconscious of it, we can be reactive, reflecting (and usually amplifying) whatever mood we receive from other people. This means that our state of mind is at the mercy of whatever is sent our way – we can, however, choose to be in the driver seat.
Take control and choose what you send into your relationships. Wonderfully, because of the tendency people have to mirror what they receive, we quickly begin to receive back what we send out.
The reason we start with only thinking nice things, is that when we focus on great things about another person, then we begin to see more evidence that those great things are true. We are changing the story we have about them and our mind’s confirmation bias works to find evidence that we are right.
Through doing this, you will not only take control of your own state of being, but uplift and inspire the people you care about most. It is especially important to be deliberate about this in uncertain or stressful times – as this is when people can be at their most reactive. You will become a safe haven in the storm for others: defusing tension and inspiring the best in them.
You will find yourself surrounded by people mirroring back the love, care and appreciation that you have radiated – Before you know it, you will have transformed the relationships in your life.
Recommended Reading
Happy, by Derren Brown
Everyone says they want to be happy. But that’s much more easily said than done. What does being happy actually mean? And how do you even know when you feel it?
In Happy Derren Brown explores changing concepts of happiness – from the surprisingly modern wisdom of the Stoics and Epicureans in classical times right up until today, when the self-help industry has attempted to claim happiness as its own. He shows how many of self-help’s suggested routes to happiness and success – such as positive thinking, self-belief and setting goals – can be disastrous to follow and, indeed, actually cause anxiety.
