I will be the first to admit that I don’t always practice what I teach when it comes to self care and self love. 

It’s true that I know how important it is to take great, loving care of ourselves – body, mind, spirit, and heart. It’s true that I know exactly what I need to do in order to honor myself in the most loving, cared-for way. It’s true that I know in my heart of hearts that self care holds the key to all that I have been searching for. And it’s also true that I know that I really, really, really want to practice self care and pour tons of love into myself.

I know all of this. I really do. And yet, even with all of this knowledge, I seem to continually find myself going back to “the known” – that space that may not feel very nurturing but feels comfortable somehow. I’m still finding my way around what self care looks like and feels like, and it almost feels like a place that I’m visiting still that hasn’t yet become my home.

And then there’s the busyness factor. I find myself getting caught up in all of the to-dos of my life and somehow make every single little thing an emergency (even when it’s far from it). I find myself saying that I can’t possibly rest until X, Y, and Z are finished (knowing full well that when they are finished there will be a new batch waiting in the wings). I find myself reaching for self care and catching it for brief moments but never fully being able to immerse myself in it.

I’ve always said that awareness is the first step toward change. But we can’t just rest on our “awareness laurels” – we must actually take action and move toward the change that we seek (even if it takes many false starts and lots of starting again and again and again). It’s so worth it.

In those moments where I have taken care of myself, I have felt such warmth and lightness surrounding me. I have felt fully alive and fully at peace. And these moments are what keep me going – they help me to see that self care isn’t some elusive thing that can never fully be realized. It’s right here waiting for all of us. And it’s up to us to actually add to our love cup over and over and over again. Let it overflow with kind words for ourselves and loving action. Allow it to seep into each part of our being. Allow ourselves to move into this space and welcome ourselves back home.

That’s what I’m doing now. And yes, I may still start over again and again and again. But I promise that I will keep coming back for more and more extended visits until hopefully this is my forever home. That feels really exciting for me. And I hope you’ll join me here as well. It just feels better.

If you’re looking for ways to invite more self care and self love into your life, I highly recommend joining my friend Reba Linker’s book launch!

She is having all sorts of fun parties to celebrate her new book Imagine Self-Love: A Journal, and you’re invited!

Here’s a bit more about this wonderful book:

Your relationship with yourself is, without a doubt, the most important relationship in your life. How you treat yourself “sets the dial” for your relationships with everything in your life.

•    How much wealth do you allow into your life?
•    How much love is right for you?
•    How much success do you permit yourself?
•    What level of vitality is good enough for you?
•    How much happiness can you imagine for yourself?

You can turn up the dial on your “self-love meter,” and strengthen the core concepts that enable all your dreams to flourish: self-knowledge, self-acceptance, and self-love. Using inspirational quotes, journal prompts, and action exercises, the Imagine Self-Love journal will help you establish self-love as the most important habit in your life.

Reba is hosting a free webinar on June 3oth at 10 am pst! There will be lots of presentations (including one from my sweetie, Dan), lots of great information about why self care is so important, and lots of prizes!

Click here to join!

And please remember to give yourself some extra love today and always. We’re all so deserving of that (and so much more).

Hugs,