em•brace im-breys – verb. 1. accept (a belief, theory, change, SELF + HOME) willingly and enthusiastically. noun. an act of accepting something (SELF + HOME) willingly or enthusiastically.
A part of self-acceptance is telling your story. When we tell our story it can be empowering to ourselves and to others. We acknowledge our existence here. When we tell our stories we touch others, we connect and we heal. There are many ways to tell a story: oral, written, visual, and even in how we lead our day to day lives.
As I tell my story in a variety of ways I begin to understand myself in new ways. I begin to grow and expand. I EVOLVE. I might journal to get out all the thoughts and feelings and insights that come to and through me, I visual journal and collage to let my story out in new ways I have never explored. I speak my story every time I interact with someone else. My home can also tell my story.
I fully accept myself, I love myself I said. I was becoming more and more comfortable with myself each day and I was gaining a new sense of confidence... After an in person reiki experience (which involved lots of tears), I had the insight that if I truly embraced all parts of me, then there would be no parts of me that I denied (even if there are areas in my life that I want to cultivate with more love). I would release any underlying guilt of not being good enough. I would allow myself room to live my story freely, without self-imposed restrictions. I had read about self love and self acceptance and felt my mind had a good grasp on these concepts...
I was on the right track...
but this insight had to be felt and came from the heart.
So begins another cycle of the EVOLVING JOURNEY.
The only person I need to reconcile my full story with is myself. Self-Acceptance is being fully honest with ourselves. Accepting ourselves as we are - as a whole. We take the good with the less than favorable. We begin to see challenges as opportunities in our life and always as a chance to learn and move forward. It can be a process; parts of it are lifelong. This journey calls for ACCEPTANCE + FORGIVENESS.
I ACCEPT MYSELF AS I AM.
I AM WHOLE.
When I begin to take these steps to understand my story and reconcile any feelings I may be harboring against any parts of myself, then my authentic story begins to flow. One by one I let go of false beliefs that hold me back from expressing my full potential. I begin to take full ownership of my story - I begin to design my life for my soul to thrive. I become empowered. This process allows me to live in alignment with my values. I am able to embrace vulnerabilities and share my story with others. I can even begin to share the storylines that are still evolving.
Because the story will always evolve.
And the story will always have multiple strands running through at the same time. Somewhere along the way I begin to see that all of our stories intertwine into ONE. Everyday that I can accept a new part of me, the more deeply I feel my connection to you and to all that is. And so the journey continues to evolve... The journey is not always easy, some days are actually quiet challenging, but I accept the challenge and I renew my intention each day.
What Story will you tell today? What part of the journey can you begin to embrace? How can you evolve today by accepting a new part of yourself?
RESOURCES: Living in the Light, 1,001 ways to stay in the moment, My article on Transformation in Life as Ceremony Magazine.
Be Wonderful
xx
LaToya
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