In my work I sit at the meeting point of two truths: the mind heals through understanding, and the soul heals through love. When those two truths meet, something profound happens. Self-love stops being a fluffy concept and becomes a real, embodied medicine.
Self-love is not narcissism. It’s not bypassing pain or pretending everything is fine. True self-love is the brave, steady practice of turning toward yourself with honesty, warmth, and care…especially when you’re struggling. And yes, it heals. I’m living proof of how self love can heal even after major losses, major traumas, abuse, heart break, depression etc.
I say, all is freaking awesome that begins and ends well provided we are ready to work at it.
Our beautiful brain, you know that amazing thing inside our heads, has a fascinating way of processing words and beliefs. Imagine your brain as a vast garden and each thought, good or bad, plants a seed. The more you water and nurture a specific kind of thought, the more it grows and becomes part of your mental landscape. This growth process is thanks to something called ‘neuroplasticity’. In simple terms, our brains can change and adapt based on our experiences and thoughts.
When we repeatedly tell ourselves positive affirmations, we’re basically planting beautiful flowers in our brain’s garden. Over time, these flowers bloom, pushing out the weeds of doubt and negativity. The best part? Science has shown that these daily affirmations don’t just make us feel good temporarily. They can boost our self-esteem, cultivate a more optimistic outlook, and even help us tackle challenges gracefully.
Now, most days I am pretty much in control of how my day goes and what I plant in the vast garden of my brain. I don’t allow negativity to get to me down or zap the happy feelings out of me. But then those are the days when I have my positive affirmations in my mind, on my fridge and pocket book to remind me to stay in that happily positive zone.
“Your present circumstances don’t determine where you can go. They merely determine where you start.” ~ Nido Qubein
There are less than a handful of days left of 2023. A year that for me, was quite testing, but also life affirming. I like to think that everything I learned and experienced this year will make next year so much more special. These are some of the life lessons I have come to realize over these last 12 months.