Do you know who you are?  I mean do you really know.  I thought I did pretty much. I have accepted my past and made the decision to move on with my life.  I thought that would have given me some serious insight into who I really am.  The truth  is that really knowing yourself is a constant process and it is hard work.

Sometimes we look in the mirror and just take a passing glance at that person that is reflected back to us.  We keep moving so we don’t have to really see her.  I ask you, can you look in the mirror at yourself in quiet solitude and really say that you know yourself?  Can you really say that you like what you see.  Maybe the real question is…can you even see her?

We started a month-long daily workshop in my Rebel Thriver women’s group.  The first week was on this very subject.  Here I thought I was going to be helping other women and in the process I found out I was the one who really needed the help.  I started out with a simple mantra and asked everyone to write it out and stick on their mirrors.  I LOVE AND ACCEPT MYSELF.  This was to be said 3x a day for the week.  I had no idea how hard this was actually going to be.  Stripped down of all make up in my bathroom I really looked at myself in that mirror that first day.  The truth is that I couldn’t do it and I walked out.

This is the cool thing about being held accountable by your friends; your friends help you grow if you let them.  They teach you and they help you to keep pushing to be a better version of yourself.  How could I ask my friends to do this when I couldn’t myself?  This was the moment it all crystalized for me.  And I went back to that mirror and looked deep into my blue eyes and said that mantra 6x.  Sounds simple?  Go ahead and give it a try.

I LOVE AND ACCEPT YOU

What does that mean?  To me it means that I see myself for who I am, where I have been, how my struggles have affected me both physically and emotionally, and I can say…I need to get some work done.  I don’t mean Botox either!!!  I mean the internal soul-searching kinda overwhelming stuff that we think about for a second and then shove back down.  The stuff we don’t like to get into.  It takes a BRAVE person to go deep and take a look.

YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME

I am not my past.  My past is what happened to me.  Along the way I picked up bad habits and horrible internal messages.  I have the ability to walk into a room confidently and have everyone believe it.   Deep down I was just faking it to make it.  I didn’t want that anymore so I decided to change it.  I started with my Mantra’s and doing the writing. People often think that it will take too much time and too much work to make a difference, so they just accept it and hate parts of themselves.  My question is why settle?

I AM WORTHY OF MY LOVE

We devote so much time to helping others, work, household chores, raising our children, and social networking.  The raw truth is that we need to take the time to look with in and take stock.  I KNOW this because I just did this.  What do you like about yourself?  What don’t you like?  Why?  Write it down and think about it.  A little work everyday can get you so far!  I can honestly say that with the support of my friends I actually did the work.  It was hard, but they did it right along side of me.  Growth isn’t easy, but you are so worth the time and effort it takes to take a deeper look.  

I AM RISING FROM THE ASHES

I have, and will always have work to do as i am always evolving.  I can honestly say though that I can look myself square in the eye and not only say I LOVE and ACCEPT you, but I believe it.  I am a strong, brave, and beautiful woman and I am blessed to have some of the most supportive friends in the world.  If you are having a hard time looking at yourself in the mirror, ask a friend.  Look at her and she will help you find your reflection.

*  I would like to mention that this workshop is still going on.  If there are any women who feel they might like to join in the fun please contact me in a message. *