All that you are.
I want the celebration of yourself, exactly as you are, to become commonplace in your life.
What I love about this process, and about everything you’ve explored so far, is that it’s super interconnected. Each pillar not only supports one another intrinsically; in order for each pillar to grow, it calls on the pillars surrounding it to help it do so.
It’s like the team sport of life and health.
The whole growth through compassionate interconnectivity thing is the foundation of nourishment over punishment. It reminds me a bit of one of those sped up videos of a meadow moving through spring; where all the greenery and wildflowers come to life and attract the insects and birds, and the whole thing is just thriving with life.
Living with your chronic illness as your ally completely is exactly that.
Inviting all parts of you to the party that is your body and life; welcoming them in with a hug and a smile, joy and generosity; is so intelligent, so progressive, it pulses with energy and creation.
It teaches you that;
You can love yourself towards your wants, dreams and desires.
You don’t have to change a thing about yourself to be worthy of love, acceptance, success, happiness, pleasure and joy.
You are enough, exactly as you are.
Please, remind yourself of that on the regular!
Practice part 1.
The following journalling exercise will help you to create a snapshot of who you are and what makes you, you. Don’t think too much, just write.
Objectively describe your physical appearance, go into as much detail as you can. Think about all the nooks and crannies, shapes, sizes, colours and textures.
What do you appreciate most about your personality? What aspects do you find harder to accept? (reminding yourself that all of that is enough and OK!)
Objectively give a brief overview of your chronic illness.
Describe yourself using the first 10 words that come to mind.
What are you passionate about? What doesn’t light your fire?
What do you value? What couldn’t you care less about?
What three things would you most like others (loved ones, friends, partners, acquaintances, etc.) to know about you?
Describe one or two significant life events that helped shape you into who you are today.
Write about the parts of you that have been present throughout your life; character traits, archetypes, etc, whether they're present or not right now.
What three things would your closest people say about you?
Nothing you’ve written is set in stone, but it provides an overview of who you are today. And I want you to know that who you are, right in this very moment, is absolutely enough, and deserves celebration!
Practice part 2.
Close your eyes or soften your gaze.
Allow yourself to settle into this space.
Bringing your awareness to the crown of your head and the souls of your feet.
Bring awareness to your heart.
Deepen your breath, inhaling through your nose, exhaling through your mouth.
Place your left hand over your heart followed by your right.
Gently drop your chin towards your chest.
Bring to mind all that you wrote in the journalling exercise. Pick out the key aspects that really stood out.
We’re going to start this practice with a beautifully simple affirmation; ‘I am enough’ and we’re going to repeat that 5 times.
You can say it out loud or in your mind.
I am enough
I am enough
I am enough
I am enough
I am enough
Allow those words to settle and sink into your body, and notice how you respond. Notice what happens in your body, notice what comes to mind, as you say those words.
I want you to really let those words feel true to you; allow them to penetrate your heart, allow them to take form within your body.
I am enough.
Raise your chin, return to your breath, deepen in through the nose, letting it all out with a sigh. Two more of those and then blink open the eyes.