Hi, thank you for being here. August felt like an in-between, a month of everything and nothing at the same time. Whereas I was so grateful for the golden late summer evenings, cooler air, and all the love that surrounded me, I also felt deeply disconnected. I felt exhausted, burned out, lost, and lonely a lot, just to name a few of the experiences that accompanied me this month. Somewhere between letting go of previous versions of myself and life, and stepping into what comes next, I was unsure of where I belonged. I have had to learn to sit with discomfort and to live with a lack of clarity and uncertainty, and to trust that, with time, things will work themselves out. All of this has left me with lots of reflections, learnings, and intentions I would like to share with you. I hope they are of value to you.
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You make yourself feel seen by letting yourself be seen. Most people won’t ask what’s wrong or know exactly how you need to be loved unless you let them know. You won’t feel more valued by making yourself smaller. You won’t find deeper connection by holding everything inside. And you don’t become easier to love by pretending you need less than you do. It isn’t worth waiting for someone to understand what you’ve never shown or communicated. Don’t expect others to interpret your signs, understand you, and make space for you when you are not brave enough to take up space yourself. Your needs are more likely to be met when people know what they are. You will experience the love you need when you communicate what love it is you desire. Tell people what you need, share how you feel, and express what your heart desires instead of making yourself suffer by trying to receive what you are afraid to ask for. The people who love you cannot respond to what they don’t know exists.
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There are more people than you think who feel the way you do. There is someone going through something you are experiencing, and many others already have. You may not see them in the same way they do not know of you. No one is going through nothing, and though all struggles are not the same, all of them are human. It is something we all share, and something that connects us when we let our hearts be vulnerable. The more open and honest you are, the more you see how universal your thoughts, feelings, worries, doubts, and challenges are. The human experience is shared. You are always so much less alone than you believe you are.
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You are loved as you are so much more than you know. You will not be judged or rejected as much as you thought you would be when you embrace yourself. It is more accepted than you believe to find your own way, do what you love, and be different from others. Authenticity is one of the most attractive forms of energy. Being yourself won’t make everyone like you, but it will let the right people find you.
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allow myself to feel whatever it is I am feeling. Whether it is sadness, frustration, excitement, disappointment, joy, or grief, I will let all emotions exist and move through my body without judgement or shame. I will remember that there is no wrong way to feel, nothing to suppress and I will trust that all emotions are meant to be felt. Whatever comes is okay.
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work on detaching how I feel from how much I do. I will learn to be ambitious without striving from a sense of lack or searching for fulfillment in what I achieve. I can pursue my goals while remembering that my accomplishments do not determine my value. On the days I achieve a lot and on the days it is less, I will know that I am worthy. I will choose to value myself for simply being.
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In August, my highlights were the little moments of light. I’m especially thankful for the time I had with my family and friends, and it confirmed once again that there is not much more valuable than being with those you love. My heart also felt so happy connecting with nature by the river and surrounded by mountains, and I can honestly say that these moments have been so healing. I have a feeling they changed me.