What if you woke up with the snap of my fingers and believed, truly believed, without question, YOU were Worthy of Love?
Pause for a moment and imagine that.
In Karen Casey’s book Worthy of Love, she writes, “There is probably no expression in my life more difficult to feel, develop, offer, accept or maintain, than Love. And I have so desperately wanted to revel in it, certain that if only I “knew” Love, I’d forever be happy, content and serene every moment, never tragedy’s victim.
Karen also says, “Of course, the irony is the harder we look for Love, the more blurred our vision. Only when we become quiet and trust that Love is our birthright do we discover its friendship has enfolded us”.
Karen Casey’s book, Worthy of Love, Meditations on Loving Ourselves and Others was a gift to me I will always treasure. I offer this blog as a gift to you, on Love, and in Love.
What would it feel like to Love yourself unconditionally and be comfortable in your skin with no need to do any number of the things we can come up with to NOT feel our feelings?
- Check our email
- Grab a snack
- Find a project
- Phone a friend
- Workout
One thing that can be an obstacle to self-love and very self-damaging is Self-Criticism. The inner critic is often experienced as negative thoughts about our behaviors or ourselves. We think being extra hard on ourselves will somehow motivate us to change.
- Don’t ask for any help
- Struggle with body image
- Play the blame game
- Don’t forgive, keep punishing
- Get down on yourself
- Difficult decision making
- Comparing ourselves to others
- Thinking I’m Never enough
- Overanalyzing
- Worry/Fear
We work so hard to be more, better, fixed, but perhaps that is the problem, and the simple solution is accepting we don’t need to be fixed.
It is only when we accept ourselves for who and what we are, and no longer require the acceptance and approval of others, we start to achieve our inner sense of peace and security.
Self-Compassion and kindness offer us encouragement, support, and the Love we long for. It aligns us with what we truly want and desire.
- Acceptance
- Trust
- No judging, blaming or criticizing
- Forgiveness
- Peace of I’m enough
- Faith Hope and Love
Both self-criticism and self-compassion are ways we protect ourselves. They can be healthy ways to achieve personal growth; however, self-criticism can also be a barrier to our peace of mind.
Here are 3 Powerful Ways to Promote Self-Love and Awareness
- MINDFULNESS-maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment, through a gentle, nurturing lens. When we practice mindfulness, our thoughts turn inward into what we are sensing in the present moment rather than rehashing the past or imagining the future.
- JOURNALING-a way to explore our emotions, channel our feelings, and explore outcomes. Writing is a vehicle that allows us to slow down and pay attention to everything that is going on in our lives. One beneficial exercise is journaling your self-critical thought paired with a self-compassionate response. Give it a try.
- HAVING A MANTRA/S-a mantra is a sacred utterance, a word, sound, or phrase repeated to aid in your concentration. It is believed to have spiritual and psychological power. It is said to be a tool of thought, a way to focus the mind. Just for fun, why not try Mirror Mantra’s with Crayola ® washable makers.
SELF-Acceptance ask much of us, but I promise the journey and reward are worth it
SELF-Compassion and kindness are powerful skills we can lean into more deeply each and every day to support ourselves.
SELF-Love is a process, a practice for all our lives. The goal is to grow in it.
No matter where you are on the journey, the most important thing we can do is to be ourselves, love ourselves, and celebrate our unique and miraculous authenticity. Then, we can contribute to the ripple effect of LOVE throughout this world.
Remember Always, or remind yourself with a quick snap of the fingers,
YOU ARE WORTHY!
YOU ARE A MIRACLE!
YOU ARE AMAZING!
Because one believes in oneself, one doesn’t try to convince others,
Because one is content with oneself, one doesn’t need others approval
Because one accepts oneself, the whole world accepts her.
~Lao Tzu
About today’s author: Kat Middleton is an Empowerment Coach who is passionate about her work and advocates for authentic wholehearted living both personally and professionally. She is a Certified Professional Coach and Occupational Therapy Practitioner who loves working with people holistically; helping others to help themselves see things through new filters. Kat joined the Wholistic Woman community in September of 2017. She is very excited to learn, grow, and have much fun with this AMAZING group of women. Kat is available for private one-on-one coaching as well as group workshops, seminars, and speaking events.