Since we were little it’s been ingrained in us that if we don’t fit into a specific box prescribed by society, our lives won’t be fulfilling and we won’t be accepted by our family and friends; therefore we’ll never find true happiness or love.
We go through our lives hiding parts of ourselves, conceding when we know we’re right, saying yes when we mean no and it’s all in the name of appeasing others. We long for acceptance from ourselves and from our family, friends and community. That outside validation means the world and at the same time can be detrimental to discovering who we truly are and what makes us genuinely and authentically happy.
If and when we’re brave enough to confront our truths, what does that even look like?
It’s beautiful, affirming and enlightening. Or it’s painful, overwhelming, difficult and can feel like nothing will ever be good again. Or it’s both.
And I get it. It’s hard to accept love from our selves and others when we don’t think we deserve it and we fear we’re disappointing everyone. I struggled a lot when I was trying to come to terms with who I really am and wondered if people would love the REAL me. It’s not easy. But it’s worth the fight. And I’ve found it’s easier for people to connect with me because I’m not hiding; I can bring my full self to every interaction.
Can you imagine the feeling of embracing and being proud of the SAME truth I hid and was ashamed of my entire life?
The first time I ever heard the quote “I will believe the truth about myself no matter how beautiful it is” by Macrina Wiederkehr, I broke down because it resonated with me so much.
Can you imagine the feeling of embracing and being proud of the SAME truth I hid and was ashamed of my entire life? It’s really powerful and it’s definitely not easy. And honestly, it makes me feel really special that I can live authentically as myself and that I still have so much love in my life.
Self love and acceptance is hard and it’s a journey. Be patient and trust yourself. Be kind to yourself. I work on this every day. And even when we breakdown along the way (it’s inevitable that we will), trust that we will rebuild with authenticity and integrity. We’ll prioritize our own happiness over the comfort of others. We'll look in the mirror and say, “Hey, that’s me. You’re ME. I love you. All of you. I will believe the truth about YOU no matter how beautiful it is!”
I love myself. I am special. I am unique. I am worth it.
I love you. You are special. You are unique. You are worth it.
