Self-Love: This Love Letter Will Instantly Pick You Up When You're Down

I know you feel the heaviness in the world right now. Life can feel like walls pressing in on you, caging you uptight, and locking you deep inside. But there’s light in there… and it will leak through the tiniest cracks…and bloom into expression.

While you’re out there doing your best just know you’re not alone. Someone out there cares about you. I want to validate your feelings. I want you to know it’s okay to grapple with pain… it fortifies your light. And I want you to know its okay to shine… that is your purpose.

I’ve never walked in your shoes. I can only know my own journey, but I know that feeling of dancing in the dark… trying to find the next glittering step forward.

Let yourself be in the unknown. Keep dancing until you discover what’s next. Allow yourself to be in process…

You’re going through changes, and you’ll keep going through changes because that is the nature of life unfolding. Sometimes I think it’s easy to want to fight the process of change, to skip ahead and be on the other side of the uncertainty. Yet, the uncertainty, the unknown places that we all have to venture, always hold the promise of possibility.

Digging your heels in the ground means slowly disappearing, it’s only in that forward motion that we can become transformed. But there is momentum in the stillness, and stillness in the movement.

Think about what you’ve done, how you’ve grown and all the things you’ve experienced in your life so far. Each one of those experiences has brought you to this moment, and helped you to discover just a fraction of who you are, and if you keep going you will get closer and closer to your own truth. There’s so much more to uncover the deeper you go.

But it’s not a destination, each step you take, the coordinates change.

If you’re curious, you’ll discover who you are on an inner level, the constant part of you that lives under the surface, the part of you that doesn’t bend, change, hide or break depending on the situation. You will meet your most luminous self!

Fighting isn’t the way forward. Life can be like a river… you can move with the current, or go against it. If you fight the current, you wear yourself down until you have no flight left. Or you can move with it, see where it takes you, grow curious to each moment and allow it to fortify your inner light and your unique purpose.

And know that the Universe isn’t something out there separate from you… it is a part of you. You are one and the same. We are all unique expressions of the Universe experiencing itself. In those dark, insidious moments where you feel inflamed from the inside out… just know that you’re actually discovering your inner wisdom, your soul. The light inside of you cares enough about living your truth to show you where you’re showing up small and unexpressed. Your pain becomes your teacher. Honoring your pain is honoring your wisdom.

So feel whatever you feel in this moment… The pain, the anger, the sadness and the joy. Emotions don’t have to rule your life, they can inform your journey. I think of emotions like the weather. The wind, the rain and the thunder…even the sunshine… they aren’t constant, but they do show us the present moment and how easy or difficult things are or will be moving forward.

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So what emotion is moving through you now?

What change is it inspiring within you?

How is it fortifying your light?

What practices make you feel self-love?

Even when you don’t see it, just know, you’re amazing, you’re strong, you’re intelligent, and you’re worthy. Let the darkness show you the way forward. And when the light cracks through, embrace it. Embrace your lucid moments of knowing exactly who you are. Just drop the act of being something, and instead be your present self. Regardless of who’s watching or judging, be beautiful in this moment.

The present moment is the truth. Don’t let the potential of who you can be, allow you to forsake who you are right now. Own your beauty and strength, just as much as you own your darkness and pain.

The legacy of your life isn’t about how popular you are or how much money you have, its how you treat people, how you change their lives and how much you express your own truth in the world. I think of life like art… it has no meaning other than to move something deep, primal and eternal inside of us. If your life is your art…what do you want people to feel when they experience you?

If I could offer any advice it would be to practice radical self-love… because that is the most compassionate and audacious thing you can do for yourself. And have boundaries… meaning to act out of integrity and listen to what feels right in your soul. Say yes when you mean yes. Say no when you mean no. And don’t be afraid to say goodbye to people, situations and responsibilities that dim your light and no longer inspire you to be the best version of yourself.

And when it comes down to it… don’t do things out of expectation or approval of others… do things because it makes you feel exactly like the person you want to be. You don’t have to do, be, act or say anything that that isn’t your truth.

Instead of listening to the outside voices. Ask yourself: “Do I like who or how I am showing up?” …That’s true integrity.

Here’s A Mini Ritual for Honoring Your Light

Light a fresh white candle. Stair into the flame, watch it bob, dance and spin on the wick. Let this light lull you deeper into your body and your being.
Notice what emotions or feelings are drawn from the depths by this firelight. Just hold space for them, witness yourself in this moment. Whatever you feel… let it move through you.
When you’re ready, ask the question: “How do I want to move forward?”
Make a declaration in this moment to do just that… to honor and work your light.
Say out loud: “And so it is…”
Then blow out the flame.