When and How to Use the Mirror

You want things to change. 

You want to see change in yourself…Visible change. 

You don’t like what you see, and you feel like you’re incomplete. 

You don’t feel like your true self in some way. 

This part sucks: Looking at the mirror, wanting to see change.

Trust me, I know. I’ve spent years hating the mirror. 

However, it is not always like that and there is an important problem you need to recognize…You are NOT your self-reflection. 

I want you to see this term for what it actually is: 

Self -You and/or Your

Reflection - Perception of what is or what has been

There’s a problem with using self-reflection in the mirrow effectively is because it is a perception of what is. 

You are not seeing what’s there objectively, but rather, you are seeing what is there subjectively through your experience and assumptions. 

Most of your assumptions are inferred based on your experiences with cultural norms, social environment, and social influences. 

Your assumption comes from looking at Instagram models, movie starts, or maybe some else you know, who’s physique you envy. 

This is the first mistake your making because you are not defined by what you see. 

You’re assuming you know what you see is what everyone thinks about you, but you don’t actually know that for certain. 

You may see yourself as ‘Fat’ and another person may see you as having great physique and fitness that they are envious of, or admire. 

Now certainly, this can be something almost easy to brush off because this comparison could be coming from someone with lower fitness level.

Fair enough…but that doesn’t mean you should ignore the gratitude that you could be using when you’re in the mirror. 

Using this same example, instead of looking in the mirror and thinking “I hate that I’m so fat.”, you could have a level of gratitude and think “Well I do like that I have this….and I do have…. that I really love about my physique.”

This is super valuable because you’ve now given yourself a framework of confidence to build from. 

Say you want to build a brick wall. 

Now you have a wall partly built already you could use, and it has some solid bricks already there, but you decided ‘I hate this wall, this wall needs to be taking down, and we will rebuild a new one.”

Well, that’s like tearing yourself down, and thinking this will be easier to build a new self. When really tearing yourself down to nothing works backwards. 

You could have built off the wall that was already there. Lay bricks on top of what you do have. 

Build your confidence the same way. See your strengths an appreciate them. 

Now the other really important thing to consider is knowing whether what you’re comparing to is a realistic lifestyle. 

Appreciate that your life isn’t a movie star’s life or a fitness model. Why would we use that? 

Let’s say you compared to “Bob” or “Betty” that you know from the gym, and they are in AMAZING shape. 

How many Bob’s and Betty’s do you actually know? Very few. Because two things happen with those types of people 

  1. Genetics 

  2. Lifestyles that actually compliment the fitness commitment

Now this isn’t me saying you can’t achieve their fitness. 

You can do amazing things with your fitness, but there is a valuable piece to appreciate here…

If you want this to work, and look as good at Bob or Betty, enjoy your life, AND keep the results? You need TIME and lots of it. 

Because you don’t want to live a crash course crazy diet just to regain the weight, right? 

So, this is where see the next big problem with using the mirror. 

It is NOT a useful tool daily. Weekly at best. 

If you check the mirror every day, you may as well watch water evaporate. 

You’re using a mirror that reflects only what’s been a summary of more so your previous years and month’s average fitness and nutrition, rather than the last 1-2 days. 

So, this where I encourage A Mirror Free Week. 

This is the most effective and incredible mindset shift I can recommend.

You take 7 days, and  don’t use the mirror for judging your physique. 

This is REALLY hard, so you know before you try. But instead of looking in the mirror like you normally do, consider the mirror as a ‘shadow of the past.’ Because that’s what it is! 

I’m not saying not use the mirror at all. 

What you do use the mirror for:

  1. Exercise form

  2. Hair done well 

  3. Clothes match

  4. No spinach in the teeth

Outside of that, you DON’T focus on your self-reflection in the mirror. 

Reflect instead on what you DO – because that defines you WAAAAY better. 

Focus and reflect on;

  • Your daily activity

  • Your exercise consistency

  • Your strength performance and hitting PRs in the gym

  • Your nutrition 

  • Being mindful with eating

  • Getting sleep

  • Being present with people NOT thinking about your physique defining you but your behaviour with them defining you

Now remember I said something valuable to this point. 

The mirror is showing you a result of the average lifestyle in your past, so when you do this for a week, this will change that image. 

You do this for a month, the mirror is guaranteed to change! 

And a HUGE benefit from this come to fruition… You focus on the process and become confident in yourself from THAT reflection. 

This is huge because now you can stop having the mirror anchor so much of your identity, and you could be more in control of your confidence. 

Fat loss or muscle gain are slow processes. You cannot do anything to speed them up if you want a sustainable result unfortunately. 

Because of this you must fall in love with both the process and the person you’re becoming as well. 

Remember, don’t think the is mirror who you are now but remember it’s who you were. 

Use it a tool to reflect on your past and keep building off that past to create a strong better you in the future.

Rhyland Qually