Forgive yourself.
Now is the only time you have to be whole.
Now is the sole moment that exists to live in the light of your true Self.
Perfection is not a prerequisite for anything but pain.
Please, oh please, don’t continue to believe in your disbelief.
This is the day of your awakening.
Danna Faulds
peace out perfectionism / let nature nurture
What does “self-love” mean, actually?
To me right now, self-love translates as letting myself feel [emotions, hunger, joy, confusion, all highs and all lows] without thinking about it so much — and giving myself a break if I do find myself a little consumed by it [I am human, not robot, after all].
This is especially poignant for me concerning my relationship with food and body image, and I hope those of you who can relate can forgive yourselves for any shame you have around eating or personal appearance; of proving your worthiness through perfectionism in any form. It is simply what many of us were taught as a culture.
We have been deeply conditioned concerning what is “right” vs “wrong” — how to eat and how to look; how to behave and how to succeed.
It’s no wonder we don’t know where to turn when we feel hit with endless comparison traps and societal constructs of how things [our body, our lives, our diets] “should” be.
Zach Bush MD reaffirms my sentiments of turning to nature: when in doubt, reconnect with Mama Earth — physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually [et al.].
For example: nourish your Self with the food She selflessly offers us in its purest form; let Her infinite natural beauty inspire your own inherent grace; explore how She exists without trying to prove Her worth.
Notice that Nature doesn’t compare Her appearance or life path with anyone or anything else — we can take this tip and live more in alignment / in flow / in communication with the shifting of the seasons.
Let yourself bloom, grow, and shape shift just like plants from seed to death without anyone judging them; without anyone telling them the way they should look or what their life trajectory should be.
Of course there are basic human rights and health to consider — the answer and antidote to perfectionism is not just to abandon each other and global corporate agendas in anarchy and division.
We can, however, make an effort to uncover the ways in which we may have been taught to fear one another in order to protect our Selves, our money, our wellbeing, our reputation; how society has fed us limiting beliefs that keep us from trusting both one another and an innate intuition that lives within each of us.
We can recognize these limiting beliefs, allow them to be there, ask them what they need, realize that we all experience them, and do our best to offer our Selves loving attention in the process.
We might then be able to move forward with more awareness and compassion for not only our own suffering, but the shared suffering we all feel as curious humans navigating this life.
We can get more familiar with our intuition —not unlike the state of flow in which Nature operates — which can be enhanced with the support of other authentic, trusted teachers and resources.
We are also certainly allowed to mess up and turn to Nature / Source / Divine / Name-your-Higher-Power for guidance over and over again along the way.
And since we are all intrinsically interconnected with Nature, turning back to Her is a way of turning back to and honoring our Selves; a way of coming back home to the light that exists in all of us beyond the limits of our bodies and minds and societal norms; a way of truly, actually loving our Selves.
By making the intention to take whatever steps we need to take toward loving our Selves for exactly who we are — past present and future — without so many conditions, we become more capable of loving others without barriers or expectations.
Undoubtedly our journeys toward self-love will not be perfect and have many bumps in the road — we might get a flat tire, break down, stop to squeegee the windows and repair the brakes, and run out of gas at a really inconvenient time.
Yet the simple act of making a conscious effort will by default give others permission and set examples of how to love themselves, creating a palpable and important ripple effect — especially if we want to start working together to make positive change despite our differences.
I’ll be the first to admit that I certainly don’t have this all figured out, but I am here for it.
I am shoulder to shoulder with you in the unified awakening to greater authenticity, more actual self-love, more collective compassion for all beings, and true sustainability of mind, body, and planet.
How will you love your Self by turning back to Nature — to your truest Self — when you are battling perfectionism around food and your body [or whatever struggles are keeping you from your light]?
Read the newsletter for my homemade chocolate bar video + recipe, upcoming ways to practice and connect with me, and some recent gold nugget videos / podcasts / articles to spark inspiration.
Onward.
Photo: Yasmina Schoueri / Bois de Vincennes, Paris.
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