Bursting colors of orange, yellow and gold surround us–what beauty and grace as the trees release their leaves and they slowly drift to the ground below.


This grace and beauty is a reflection of the inherent grace and beauty that we possess. Just like the autumn clouds, we often live under a cloud of mistaken beliefs of our unworthiness, shortcomings and limitations; beliefs handed down generation after generation. We are often taught in childhood to hide our light from the world, not be “too big for our britches” or we will risk offending others with our boastful selfishness. Such fear surrounds the word selfish, that we run the other direction to avoid being labeled such.

 

There is a very important distinction between “selfish” and “self-care”. Being selfish is defined as caring only for ourselves, with no though or concern of others. Self-care on the other hand, is about taking care of and loving ourselves, addressing our needs so that we don’t unconsciously expect others to take care of us. It is in this environment that we have the power, energy and courage to cultivate our abilities, talents and dreams so that we can share the greatest gift of who we are with the world.

 

Some things you can do for self-care are:

1)    Take time daily to listen to your heart and what it desires for the day, for your life–how can you make this a wonderful day?

2)    Make a list of all of the things you are good at and how you contribute to others in small and big ways from this list.

3)    Take care of your body–feed it just the right amount of nutritious food–eat slowly, taking the time to enjoy your food, so that you feel satisfied at the end of your meal.

4)    Move your body in a way that is pleasing and fun for you–dancing, running, yoga, biking. What did you like to do as a child for physical fun?

5)    Make a list of the things you enjoy doing and commit to bringing them regularly into your life.

6)    Quiet your mind. Drop the negative chatter and self talk. Affirm and imagine what you can be in your largest, most potential self.

7)    Be kind to and respect yourself. We teach others how to treat us by how we treat ourselves.

8)    Spend quality time with those you love and say no to those who drain you of time and energy.

9)    Make the changes you know you need to make in order to live the life you desire–get support in following through the tough spots and developing courage.

 

In doing these things, you affirm your worth, foster self-esteem and develop trust and love for yourself. From this platform, you are empowered by the bright light of who you are, which automatically illuminates those around you.

 

“Setting forth on the high seas of the unknown is where we are meant to be.

 Allowing history to prevail is hugging the shore.”

James Hollis

 

October is a great time for new beginnings. Why not use this time to begin anew–to “set forth on the high seas of the unknown”. Make life an adventure–share your gifts and light up the world.