In Part 1 of Loving Me, I talked about acceptance of our physical form, our bodies.  Recently, I was talking with a girlfriend and she told me how she hates her loud laugh.  How people have actually shushed and shamed her for her God given laugh. This made my heart ache for her as I have had moments of feeling like shrinking and disappearing into the scenery, wanting to hide because of someones careless words, whisper or stare.

It made me think about the pieces of ourselves that we to fit into what society finds acceptable, as though we are gingerbread men and women.  Lemmings.

From the time we are very young we are told how to conform. Obey all the rules and societal expections; to be “normal”. I am coming to realize how damaging this is to our sense of individuality and freedom.

I am given to describing myself as quirky. I think because I always felt a smidge eccentric. It was my way of accepting that I didn’t fit the typical mold. As I have evolved, grown, expanded and learned to love myself more, I find I am becoming full-on eccentric because I am finding the freedom to express my essence. I am also learning that we all desire to experience the joy of being ourselves.

I love Korean drama, food and music.  I blast Korean music as I drive through my small town and see people look over like I am crazy, because I am singing along. I wear black leather lace-up boots because they make me feel badass and I embrace the fact that I am an intuitive person who can sense and read energy. I am a deeply feeling and spiritual person who has no religion, but still has a meaningful connection with Jesus. These things are not the sum of me, but they are all things I would have kept to myself in the past.

Feelings I understand; being too much or not enough, being too weak, too quiet, strange, quirky, peculiar, different, unique, the fear of failure, rejection, being talked about, laughed at and judged. These are thoughts I have wrestled with my ego over.

“Self-love is not just about constantly giving yourself praise and telling yourself how awesome you are. It’s about loving the real you, the human you — the person who has feet of clay, who comes undone under criticism, who sometimes fails and disappoints others. It’s about making a commitment to yourself that you will stick by yourself — even if no one else does! That’s what I mean when I say you must love yourself as though your life depends on it, because quite simply, I know without a doubt it does!” — Anita Moorjano

“It’s about making a commitment to yourself that you will stick by yourself”. Self-love. Self-acceptance. Self-expression. These are the keys to healing, freedom and joy. An inner journey that takes courage to embark on. A solitary voyage, but one with guides; books, workshops, retreats, friends, family, teachers and coaches who will appear when we are ready for taking our next step.

The way of the Universe and life is of evolution and expansion. We put so much effort into stability, but life is constantly changing and so are we. Love of self, allows us to accept that transformation and growth are part of who we are and by doing so we can embrace and enjoy our journey through life.  All it’s parts and all the parts of ourselves.

Taking time to know, nurture, love and enjoy myself has become of utmost importance to me. It feels selfish, as a woman I am a natural nurturer and like most women have taken on our cultural role of self-sacrifice. It is time to STOP. Sacrifice can be healthy and there are right situations to do it, but in general women sacrifice to the point of co-dependence and self harm.

Thankfully, humanity is awakening and shifting in conscious awareness. We are learning where love begins. We are embracing ourselves in our uniqueness.  Learning to love our laughter, voices, bodies, personalities, differences and similarities.  We are finding the empowerment to adore and express ourselves proudly with joy and freedom.

It is time to be radically honest with ourselves, to radically love ourselves, to show up in the fulness of who we are. We are beginning to shine. Trust me, you will find that you are very loveable and awesome. You will laugh more and louder. You will discover a more fulfilling life that lines up with your inner desires.

There is only one you. You were created with purpose and design. Who you are; your likes, dislikes, talents, gifts, insights and passions are what the world needs. The world needs wild loud unabandoned laughter, it’s contagious and freakin’ fun.

It is time to shed off the old masks you wear. They are like rags compared to the shinning brilliance of you. Jesus said, let your light shine among men, do not hide it under a basket. Rise and shine! RISE!

If you are feeling stuck, uncertain or lost. If you are wanting to heal, move forward and map your inner journey to course correction; message me for a free discover call.  Sometimes we need guidance to chart our way. There are moments when we face painful emotions that can overwhelm us or halt our growth. I know. I have been there and I have had people who guided and cheered me through. When we are ready to show up for ourselves, amazing things begin to happen.

Loving me. Loving you.