Self-Love

There is something archetypal about this collage that I come back to again and again.
It is the mother. This week I really saw how comfortable I am in my mother self...outpouring love and energy towards others.

Receiving, however is another matter. I had the opportunity this week to sit at the front of the room and welcome feedback from my counseling group about what they saw in me.

I could hardly take it in or remember any of it. I will refer to notes a friend took so I can revisit these qualities as I share them with you.

Words like "Angel" and "Poetic Soul" and "Shining Light" and "Grace" were spoken. I hold these in my heart because I can so often forget in my strivings that who I am is enough.

It reminds me that how I talk to my daughter, my partner, my friends, is how I must talk to myself.

This collage speaks to me of blooming inwardly and to extend the same nurturing to myself that I do to others. I see infinite levels of self-love in this collage. Nurturing self talk feels a little foreign to me. I am always focusing on what I need to do next. To simply treat myself kindly and to notice my little accomplishments in a day, fills me with a self-love I do not often let myself have.

I focus so much on giving, sometimes I feel hollow and tired....because I am not cycling that love back inside to myself. I am often inwardly telling myself I could improve, do better, or do more. I rarely sit in a state of "enough" for long. I got a wonderful book by Sark out of the library. She reminds us to affirm, "I am enough." "I do enough."  "I have enough."  That is self-love.

(I am off to Calgary to visit my family for 10 days...see you when I get back!)

Comments

[Robyn]

Have a great 10 days, Shelley. This is a beautiful collage.

[holly cazabon]

You must remember to love yourself as much as we all love you. You are such a precious and life-affirming soul, please fill your own well so you can continue to give of your wonderful self. You are good enough, you have enough and you are loved more than your know. Have a great visit with your family. Hugs.

[Kathy McGuire]

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Dr. Kathy McGuire, Director