A couple of years ago, I read Jen Sincero’s self-help book, ‘You Are a Badass.’ I must have been going through a leather-jacket phase. I found it on Google – Dear Google, Please tell me…how I can become a Badass? No, the irony isn’t lost on me.
Anyhow, the book was actually pretty good, full of self-love, but one part in particular has stuck in my mind years later. Janet recommends spending 24 hours imagining that you’re an alien. She says,
“Imagine that you’re an alien floating around in outer space and you suddenly swoop down to Earth and inhabit your own body. As the alien, everything about this life is new to you. You look around—what do you see? What is this person you’ve inhabited so obviously awesome at? What do they have the most fun doing? … What resources and opportunities are available to them?”
Forcing myself to see things from a fresh perspective when I’m having a bad day/feeling like blowing off a workout/feeling anxious works really nicely for me. It reminds me to be grateful for the body that I have, along with the possibilities in front of me each day. It reminds me that not everyone is so fortunate. It reminds me to experience life mindfully instead of on auto-pilot.
If aliens aren’t your thing, imagining you’re a baby might be a good alternative. Or maybe a cat. The idea is that you’re curious; that you approach life with wonder, as if seeing everything for the the first time. Trust me – when everything is fresh and exciting, even the dullest of days can feel special.
Have you attempted to live for a day in an alien’s shoes? Did you reach intergalactic levels of happiness? Did those around you suspect you’d been abducted and replaced with a cheerier clone? Did you irritate people so much that they wished you onto another planet? Comments welcome!
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