Fall in love with yourself
For the past month I sent out weekly emails to encourage recipients to cultivate more self-love in their life. I called it my Fall in love with yourself newsletter. Writing it was an insightful and empowering experience. It forced me to take a critical look at my own habits and how I could do better at practicing what I preach. So, I decided to put all the love letters (as I have deemed them) into one place. For those who participated in the newsletter to reflect on and those who missed the sign up to see for the first time. I urge you to bookmark this page. Come back to it anytime you feel down on yourself or need a little pick me up. The most important relationship in our lives is the one with ourselves, don’t neglect it.
Week 1
“When will you begin that long journey into yourself?” – Rumi
Intro:
Welcome! On behalf of yourself, I would like to thank you for taking this time to tap into yourself and work on recognizing your worth. I was debating how to kick this off when I stumbled upon this quote by Nikki Banas that I think fits perfectly for the self-love we are cultivating during this time:
“Be brave enough to take off the masks you wear out there and get to know who you are underneath. Be vulnerable enough to accept your flaws and know that they are what makes you human; they are what make you real. Be confident enough to accept and cherish your strengths. Don’t minimize them or hide them…They are your beautiful gifts to share with the world. Be brave enough to say, you know what, all of this is who I am. I make so many mistakes. I can be forgetful, I am messy. But… I am doing my best with what I’ve got. And I am so proud of that.
I am so proud of me. And I am proud of who I am becoming.”
Weekly affirmation:
I love the person I am
&
the person I am becoming.
Things to remember:
Own your story. Comparison is toxic to growth.
For some reason self-love is much harder than it should be. Living in a culture that is driven by social media it is so easy to constantly compare ourselves and our lives to those we follow. But social media isn’t real life, it’s a highlight reel. A highlight real that has been edited and filtered and adjusted to be as aesthetically pleasing as possible. I am not trying to shame anyone here. I will be the first to admit to staged pictures with fake laughs, filters, and retouches. The important thing to remember is that others are doing the same and we shouldn’t compare ourselves to an unattainable goal. Go ahead and add that filter, airbrush your acne scars, but keep in mind as you scroll through your feed. What people are posting isn’t always what they are feeling.
Things to do:
Take a step back from social media.
· Value your time. Use screen time apps to limit your daily intake.
· Filter through your feed. Unfollow or hide any accounts that bring about negative thoughts or feelings.
· Delete the app. Big power move here, only do it if it feels right.
Journal prompt:
What are 5 things you love about yourself?
No justification or external validation needed. Stay away from “I love my eyes because people say they are pretty” and move towards “I love my eyes.” See the difference?
Asana of the week:
Child’s pose/Balasana
· Turn inwards.
· Feel grounded through your third eye, the seed of your intuition.
· Breathe in the security of your own body.
Check out the Self-love Bingo sheet at the bottom of the page!
How many times this month can you get bingo?
Week 2
“Failure is success in progress.” -Albert Einstein
Weekly affirmation:
I am proud of my accomplishments.
Things to remember:
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Accomplishments come in all shapes and sizes. And just like with beauty, the value is in the eye of the beholder. What I think is a massive milestone for myself may just be another day for you. But just because this is true doesn’t mean I should be any less proud or pleased with myself. Don’t let what other’s project as important or meaningful skew your own values. If you are proud of something, then it is something to be proud of.
Things to do:
Take a trip down memory lane.
· Think back. You’ve lived a full life, look back on all you have done.
· Make a list. What are the accomplishments you are most proud of, pick no more than 5.
· Look ahead. We’ve looked back, now it is time to set our sights on the horizon and the next mountain you will climb.
Journal prompt:
What is one mistake you made and how did you learn from it?
Life can’t be all gold medals and 1st place ribbons. What is a time you feel like you (dare I say it) failed and how did you learn/grow from it?
P.S. forgive yourself
Asana of the week:
Chair/Utkatasana
· Sit on your throne.
· Feel the power of the earth beneath your feet.
· Know you are resilient, brave, and powerful.
Week 3
“Wear gratitude like a cloak and it will feed every corner of your life.”- Rumi
Weekly affirmation:
My grateful heart is a magnet for happiness.
Things to remember:
Your mom was right.
Did your mother say “remember to say ‘please and thank you’” every time you left the house growing up? Eventually, you probably realized, she was right. Being grateful for the things in our lives forces us to focus on what we already have as opposed to what we feel we are lacking. This shift in perspective can lead to feelings of fulfillment, joy, and abundance. So, listen to your mom, and remember your manners.
Things to do:
Look around you.
· Call your mom. Or someone else you love. Be grateful not just for the things in your life, but the people too.
· Go through your closet. Pick out your favorite pieces, is there a story behind where you got it? Did something special happen the last time you wore it? Take note as to what makes it valuable to you and why you are thankful for it. (Maybe set aside some pieces to donate, give someone else something to be grateful for).
· Reflect. Sit with yourself and recall some of your most influential experiences.
Journal prompt:
What’s one of your personality traits you are grateful for?
We all know the things we don’t like about our personalities, but what is something you treasure? How does your tenacity help you advance in your career? Or is your generosity that brings others to your side?
How’s your heart (chakra)?
Your heart chakra is the fourth and middle chakra
In yoga it is referred to your heart center for a reason. Your heart chakra bridges the gap between the lower chakras, associated with experience and what you have already manifested in your life, and the upper chakras, associated with spirituality and ones’ essence. A blockage here can confine energy to only one half of the body. Blockages in your heart chakra may manifest as self-deprecating thoughts, feelings of unworthiness, or doubt/mistrust of yourself and others,
You are already on your way to removing any blockages in this chakra and tuning into its power. Continue using love mantras and affirmations, practice heart opening yoga postures, or visualize green light radiating from your body during your meditations (green is the color of the heart chakra).
Asana of the week:
Humble warrior/Baddha Virabhadrasana
· Bow to your higher self.
· Open up and look into your heart.
· Thank your strong and able body.
Find the Love.
Check out the word search at the bottom of the page to help set your sights on positivity and adoration.
Week 4
“It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.”
― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
Weekly affirmation:
I am worthy of my dreams.
Things to remember:
Dreams are a powerful force.
Whether they happen while we are sleeping or awake, our dreams can tell us a lot about ourselves. Take note of any reoccurring scenarios, faces or emotions. What are they telling you? What does your mind keep coming back to time and time again? Dreams can give us inspiration for a brighter future but also strength to persevere in the present. Zeroing in on what your goal is can help you prioritize your actions today for a better tomorrow. Dreaming is the best form of planning.
Things to do:
Tap into your subconscious.
· Start a dream journal. You never know what your subconscious may be trying to tell you.
· Meditate. Meditation is a great way to bridge the gap between our conscious and unconscious mind.
· Manifest. A more spiritual version of the five-year plan. Visualize the life you want to bring it to reality. As Buddha once said, “what you think, you become.”
Journal prompt:
What does my ideal day look like?
The perfect day. One that may make you say, “I’m living the dream.”
Asana of the week:
Stargazer/Parighasana variation
· Open your heart to the universe.
· See what is written in the stars.
· Dream of another day.
And just like that another month is gone. I hope this journey brought you light, love and happiness. I hope it gave you some tools to come back to whenever you are feeling down on yourself. Remember; our flaws are what make us special, our accomplishments are uniquely ours, our gratitude brings light into our hearts, and our dreams can shape the future. I will leave you with the words of the beautiful light that was Maya Angelou:
