You are divinely created. A spark of the cosmos. No less than the birds and the bees. Do not doubt that you are special, for you are. Repeat after me, I AM special. When you start to believe this, you are unstoppable. Here are some affirmations to inspire you to accept yourself whole-heartedly.  

 I am enough 

This affirmation helps initiate and reinforce the acceptance of self. It is good to practice this in front of a mirror whilst maintaining eye contact with yourself. This is also known as mirror work. We have all done this at some time in our lives without realising it. In this world we are constantly being bombarded with messages that states you are not enough unless you have the latest must have product or brand. Do not let the accepted norm influence your self-image. We tend to forget that our possessions do not dictate our worthiness. You are and always will be enough. Learn to practice loving who you are wholeheartedly. Give yourself the kindness, respect, compassion and acceptance, you are so quick to bestow on others. You are deserving of a good life. Prioritise being authentic in your behaviour every day. You don't have to prove anything to anyone, no justification for your existence is needed, just being is enough. Your value is innate, so don't conform to the expectations of others.   

I accept every aspect of myself 

Know that your physical attributes do not impact nor dictate your worthiness. Lay claim to all of you, the parts you like and the parts you hide. All of this makes you uniquely you. We also tend to play favourites with our character traits. We tend to disown the uglier aspects of our character, rather than shining the light of compassionate understanding on it. Acknowledgement and acceptance are the only ways to ignite positive change. The very parts that you hide from others are just mere building blocks. Not taking the time to know these uncomfortable aspects of yourself imbue it with more power as you cannot control what you don't know.  

Rather take the time to pay kind attention to all of you and you will learn that aspects that you have feared actually can become your most admired traits, if you learn how to let it serve you for your highest good. No part of you is there to trip you up, it is your mindset that makes you think you are the slave of your thoughts. When you shift away from that harmful construct and learn self-mastery you willingly strive towards living from your soul, as your soul is implicit in moving you towards wholeness, towards wholehearted living. To think badly of any part of you is not honouring yourself. Knowing and accepting who you are is the precursor for shifting behaviour that doesn't serve you. 

I release any negative feelings I once held of myself 

Learn to recognize how your emotions are influencing your perceptions, thoughts and behaviour. The only certainty in life is that with effort you can improve yourself. Shame doesn't work, instead strive to employ kind attention, that is mindfulness, to these negative feelings. This will enlighten you to their origin. This knowledge coupled with acceptance will allow you to change the negative narrative.  

The art of releasing negative feelings is acceptance and becoming acquainted with all the different parts of yourself, especially the negative ones. You need to become comfortable with all aspects of your psyche for you to be able to share the parts you normally don't share. Sometimes you lose touch with the ability to feel comfortable within your own skin Allowing yourself to see the things you don't like about yourself is the first step. Bringing your focus on hidden negative feelings allows you to gain clarity on what needs to change. The process of clearing is basically the act of understanding the root of the issue and letting it go. Clearing and then releasing negative feelings also stops you from self-sabotaging behaviour. It is easier to exert control over things that are in your field of awareness. 

I am patient with myself 

We tend to be more patient with others than with ourselves. Practising self-compassion enhances your ability to be more tolerant. Patience with oneself is not easy, as self-flagellation seems to be a build in response when frustrated. With practice we can stop that negative knee-jerk reaction and learn to respond to adversity with a calmness of mind. This is an acquired skill, that regular practice of mindfulness will enhance, as it helps you to be fully present in the moment, without judgement. Currently most of our tolerance level has been reduced due to the instant gratification culture also known as the “I want it now” phenomena. 

You take charge when you stop yourself from reacting mindlessly in any given situation. Instead choose to respond only after you have gained clarity or understanding of the whole situation. Developing a practice of patience allows you to tap into your inner calmness, which will enable you to experience peace of mind, amidst chaos.  

It's possible to experience serenity amidst turmoil, when facing challenging situations, problems and issues. That is why practicing patience with oneself is imbuing one with power. Patience allows you not be overly troubled or frustrated when faced with the inevitable difficulties that life brings. You are in charge of yourself, which means choosing how you respond to what life gives you. Being patient allows you to be in control, not a slave to your emotions, which is liberating in itself. Being patient should not be equated with passivity, it is an empowerment skill as it affords you the opportunity to act with discernment instead of reacting willy-nilly, most of the time unfavourably to yourself. Patience allows you to choose your response. It affords you the opportunity to experience inner tranquillity and radiate peace into your environment. The reason patience is deemed a virtue is that it allows one to wait for results without frustration. This in itself will lead to divine peace, which affects everyone you interact with and your environment for the better.