Tag: happiness

The Power of Self-Love

On By Zeenat Merchant Syal-Counseling Psychologist|Spiritual CounselorIn Heal Your Soul Column, healing, Mind, Mind, Heart& Soul-Motivation&Inspiration, Mind-Mental Health, Positive Self Reflection9 Comments

“Love is the great miracle cure. Loving ourselves works miracles in our lives.” ~ Louise Hay

In a world where comparison and self-criticism run rampant, the concept of self-love has emerged as a beacon of hope and empowerment. Self-love is not merely a fleeting trend or a buzzword; it’s a transformative practice that can lead to profound personal growth, happiness, and emotional healing. In this article, I’ll share the essence of self-love, its benefits, and practical steps to cultivate this beautiful virtue within ourselves.

What is Self-love?

“It’s not selfish to love yourself, take care of yourself, and to make your happiness a priority. It’s necessary.” ~ Mandy Hale

I’m a huge fan of all things love. Self-love came on my radar when I started working on my own past emotional wounds. Till that time, and for a long while after that too, I thought self-love was a downright self-indulgent and self-serving concept. That is what most people still think of it. But as I studied it further and explored all the facets of this beautiful practice, did I realize that THIS is in fact one of the most healing practices to fully and completely integrate my fractured emotional self.

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Affirmations to Carry You Through Difficult Times

On By Zeenat Merchant Syal-Counseling Psychologist|Spiritual CounselorIn healing, Mind, Heart& Soul-Motivation&Inspiration, Mind-Mental Health11 Comments

“I want to do more than just survive, I want to thrive.”

That is THE affirmation that’s helped me make sense of my grief and my life. It’s how I choose to show up day after day in life, even after all that I have been through.

Some days I am strong and resilient. I feel like I can conquer the world. But then, there are those days, though, when it takes all my strength just to get out of bed in the morning. I’ve known many of those days, as I am sure you have too.

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Healing Things I would Tell my Younger Self(If time travelling was possible)

On By Zeenat Merchant Syal-Counseling Psychologist|Spiritual CounselorIn healing, Mind, Mind, Heart& Soul-Motivation&Inspiration, Mind-Mental Health5 Comments

“I now see how owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we will ever do.”~ Brené Brown

I didn’t look back on my late teens/early 20s kindly or fondly.

I had gone through a lot of trauma is the first parts of my life which led me to developing anxiety and depression during this time. I was very unwell, and in a state of deep sadness almost all of the time. No, it didnt show on the outside(the people pleaser in me came to the rescue then, in damaging ways ofcourse!).

All my relationships at that time in my life felt toxic, unstable, full of anxiety and insecurity. I was riddled with self-doubt.

My body was yelling out. I had a heap of physical symptoms of anxiety, I had stomach cramps, that no doctor could find the cause or cure of.

Looking back now, I have compassion for this younger self (this needed work, as originally I looked back with anger, guilt and shame).

I understand where my symptoms, struggles and behaviours came from and I can hold loving space for them and my younger self.

I overcame my depression, learned to listen to my body, dissociated less, and came to a place where I am now genuinely happy in my own skin.

Continue reading “Healing Things I would Tell my Younger Self(If time travelling was possible)” →