An Exercise in seeing the beauty in others

Exercise:

Next time you're out and about around other people, take a minute and just observe the people around you. You can do this while driving, sitting in a coffee shop, or walking around outside.

Look at each person you see and notice all of the positive qualities in them. You may notice that somebody has nice hair, that another has a great smile, that someone else is wearing nice clothing. If you don't see anything externally that you can appreciate, try to view the person as if they were a loved one in your life, maybe an old friend or a relative.

Notice how everybody has similarities to one another in the way they walk, talk, and carry themselves. Notice how everybody has their own unique traits and personalities, but how everybody is at the same time connected to everybody else in a multitude of ways. Send love and blessings to each person you see or pass; notice how you feel inside as your do so.

Now look at everybody and think about how at our core, each of us shares the same desire to love and be loved and to be happy. No matter our age or nationality, no matter our sex or our history, we all share these qualities. We all share these desires, yet we all have our own unique qualities that make us who we are. We all have our own talents and strengths and passions that allow us to fulfill our very own purpose in life, if only we would believe in ourselves.

Now look around and feel the inner beauty of everybody you see; some of us are considered beautiful on the outside, others of us are not considered so attractive, but this has no significance when we are able to focus on what each person holds inside of them. We all are endowed with great inner beauty and a deep wellspring of love for everyone and everything on the planet; we just need to learn how to tap into it.

If you're having difficulty with seeing the inner beauty of others, (whether with strangers or loved ones), try one or more of the following affirmations:

I focus on the beauty in myself, others, and the world around me

I see the Divine within myself, others, and the world around me

I feel the interconnectedness of everyone and everything


You might also try a very powerful exercise by Louise Hay. She encourages us all to look into a mirror every day as we look into our own eyes and to say, "I love you (your name here), I really love you."
She also recommends the following mantras or affirmations to use either in the mirror or as you're going about your day:

"I love and accept myself exactly as I am"

"I love and approve of myself exactly as I am"

I also like to extend this to say:

I love and accept others exactly as they are.


I have learned that we cannot fully accept and love others until we fully accept and love ourselves. So, oftentimes when we struggle loving and appreciating others for who we are, this is a sign that we have more work to do with loving and appreciating ourselves. For more information on this, I highly recommend Louise Hay's book and/or DVD, both called: "You Can Heal Your Life."