ALWAYS See...

…the BEST in yourself. Because constantly relying on affirmation from external sources is a precarious element to base your self-worth on. This “throwback pic” was taken over a decade ago. When I look at it now, my gaze is completely focused on my kiddo — She was an ADORABLE toddler. But when this photo snapped taken, all I could see was everything I no longer was. That mental list was LONG (and the weight of it HEAVY). The top spot was held by the word “pretty.” While we were very much still married, my ex-husband told me I looked “terrible” during that first year postpartum. I know reading that you might feel angry on my behalf. However, to be fair, he wasn’t lying. I was well aware of the toll a difficult pregnancy (coupled with an even more challenging labor and delivery) had taken on my physical appearance. Yes; it was hurtful to hear. I also knew it was a temporary state. So much was definitely wrong during this phase of my life, yet I have never lost the ability to bet on myself while also holding on until better days arrive.

Good thing I did too — because my current life is GLORIOUS overall. I write books; teach yoga AND writing classes; run marathons; parent a human (and a dog); own my home and get to set my own schedule almost every day. There are quite a few items I can continue to ‘roll call’ off this list. But the point is I got my “looks back,” plus a heck of A LOT more (sans my former spouse). I attribute this to an unwavering belief in my personal capacity to HEAL and REBUILD. My faith in a higher power is STRONG, as is the faith I have in myself (as it should be). I want you to feel as rooted in self-confidence as I am. You deserve to feel whole, appreciated and valued. You are worthy of ABUNDANCE. And if you need a tangible reminder of this occasionally — as we all do — it is totally okay. Although the ‘first stop’ for reassurance should be a long look in the mirror.

Let’s do our best to remind each other of this truth. At times, the resource most needed from — and within — a community is HOPE. We need micro-seeds of it sprinkled on our souls to keep going…to keep growing…even when we have no idea what comes next. May your heart remain open to the MORE that awaits. In the meantime, holistically nourish yourself with simple acts of self-kindness. One of the ways I do this is by regularly finding new allergen-friendly, sweet treats to stock our pantry with. My latest faves include Seven Sundays’ Real Cocoa Sunflower Cereal and dried fruit by Solely.

I am equally a fan of inserting purposeful pleasure into daily life. So when I am in need of a heart lift, I turn to music, movement and the written words of others. The latter at the moment means soaking up solace via Elizabeth Acevedo’s “Family Lore.”(*Literary art that nudges us closer to seeing the fullness of our origins and ourselves is like free therapy!)

‘Til I pop into your “inbox” in May… ~Rachel