Do you remember when you were at school you needed to put your hand up and ask the teacher if you could pop to the loo, or to go and see the nurse because you didn’t feel well? Could you imagine having to do that now as an adult? Ask permission to do the simplest of things? I’m sure you’d probably answer in the negative to that!

However, we still manage to stop ourselves from doing things because we have limiting beliefs which, I hasten to add, can be buried at a very deep level and so not always recognizable. When was the last time you allowed yourself to just relax or sit and do absolutely nothing? Indeed, do you ever allow yourself to do things that you know you want to do but the little voice within tells you “you can’t” or “you’re being selfish”.

The thing is, as we’ve grown up we’ve been taught to ignore some of those yearnings to do things because we’re told we’re being selfish, or lazy. We have pressures on us of earning money, going to work, perhaps looking after a family too. We feel the burdens that society puts upon us of being “the perfect, hard working, role model for others”.

Bugger that! What point is there in working really hard all the hours God sends, if not to enjoy ourselves in the process?

I came across a phrase sometime two weeks ago which I’m absolutely loving! And I do mean absolutely adoring…. “I give myself permission to….” Although it may not feel like it at times, it is absolutely true that we are always, always in control of our thoughts and feelings and, further, we always have a choice. So, we can give ourselves permission to feel angry, or give ourselves permission to have a sit down for 10 minutes, or give ourselves permission to buy that new top we’ve been looking at, and so on. We can give ourselves permission to think or feel whatever we want.

Now it’s not always going to be a viable option to give yourself permission to do some things (not pay bills, not go to work, not get up and look after the family, etc). BUT, you can give yourself permission to think or feel whatever you want about it. It gives you back some element of control. And, later on, you can give yourself permission to do something that you want to do.

Let me change the sentence slightly though… let’s change the word “give” to “gift”. Remember, you are just as wonderful and deserving as the next person. We all enjoy giving and receiving gifts, so why not feel the pleasure of both giving and receiving by gifting yourself permission for something. If you struggle with giving to yourself, gift yourself permission to gift yourself permission!

Pay attention to your thoughts over the next few days and look out for opportunities where you can gift yourself something that you wouldn’t normally. As I said above – you are worth it, and you do deserve it, and, at the end of the day, if you don’t value yourself enough to gift yourself these things why should anyone else?