How often do you gather up your fragile sense of self and willingly hand it away?
If wholehearted living means never putting our worth on the table, it means first starting to take notice of the times when we do. Today—a simple reminder that you are you, and that’s enough.
You are still you, even if…
You feel like no one in your life needs a friend like you do.
You are perpetually one crucial ingredient short of the meal you’ve already started.
Your child’s teacher has your phone number memorized.
You are still you, even if…
The friends you thought you were close with post pictures on Instagram that you weren’t included in.
You are still you, even if…
You’re on the wrong end of a few too many of your husband’s jokes.
You get a lot of hard-to-interpret stares in the grocery store.
You just learned your child has some developmental delays and you can’t help but wonder if it’s partly your fault. (It’s not.)
You are still you, even if…
Your toddler has a (rather embarrassing) biting habit that only comes out to play when other parents are watching.
You feel dumb for posting yet another photo of your baby to social media. (For reference, I love it. Keep them coming.)
You run to put on a bra when someone knocks on the door.
You think you use your device too much around your kids, but you also think some days, that device is the only thing keeping you sane.
You are still you, even if…
You’re the only one at a dinner party who “doesn’t work.”
You sassed your mother-in-law like a teenager…even though you’re 30 years old.
You have been avoiding the bathroom scale for years.
You yearn in your heart for another baby but lack the confidence that you could handle another one.
“The core of your true self is never lost… You don’t have to find yourself; you just have to let yourself in.” D. Antoinette Foy
You are YOU. That’s all you need to be.
with beautiful images from Tyler Branch Photo
linked up with On My Heart
so raw an beautiful … I love it
Thank you so much for reading, Ana, and for taking the time to comment. Best wishes!
Such beautiful and encouraging words. We need to be who we are too with the love, grace, and acceptance we would expect of others.
Thank you for sharing.
Wishing you a lovely day.
xoxo
Thanks so much, Jennifer. I appreciate it. You have a great day too!
Thank you for these wonderful, encouraging words! Everyone needs a reminder to be a little kinder to themselves every now and then. (:
Thanks, Emilee! I feel like those reminders are becoming my specialty. Probably because I need them hugely too. 🙂
I glanced at your blog and am off to read more about how you got converted to yoga! I need to know about this!
This really touched my heart, Erica. My favorite of your points (the ones I most related to) were the first about feeling like I’m the only one who needs a friend, and the last one about longing for another baby but lacking confidence. Man, have I been in both of those places. So glad I read this post. Love you girl.
Hey lady! I’m so sorry I’m late getting back to you, but thanks for this sweet comment! Those two are on the top of my list too right now. Best of luck to us both…!
These thoughts really resonated in my soul. I love the concept of wholehearted living. And also enjoyed reading some of your past posts. Thank you for sharing your gifts with the world!
Oh, my heart! What an incredible post. I want to share this one too. Thank you, thank you for being so honest. Absolutely lovely.
Thank you for this! I have been avoiding the scale… I’m scared to even pass it on my way to the toilet lol. But it’s there… staring me down every time. Thank you for the reminder that those are trivial things and that I’m still me!
You just had a baby! I say, keep avoiding it as long as you like! 🙂
Ours gave up the ghost a few months ago, and I’ve been dragging my feet on getting a new one. Guess I’m on the fence about its value!
Sometimes I think I’m the only one with these thoughts/worries/problems… You speak right to my heart. I love that last quote. Thank you for your beautiful blog posts.
You’re so welcome, Jen. I just do it because I like knowing I’m not alone too. Thank YOU for that!
oh Erica, I’m just reading this post and this is exactly what I needed to read/hear today. Sometimes I don’t even realize what kinds of negative feelings I’m letting roll around in my brain…but this was exactly it. THANK YOU!! Love it as usual.
Hi Britney! Thank you! “Sometimes I don’t even realize what kinds of negative feelings I’m letting roll around in my brain.” That is exactly IT. I know what you mean. Here’s to pinning those thoughts down and kicking them out! 🙂
Hope you’re having a great weekend!
Wow. I think I get so caught up in trying to be the best all the time and hating the idea of just being average. But at the same time I don’t want to lose myself in the process. But I’m still me no matter what, I love that!
I so very much needed this today.
I’m so happy this could help. Sweet of you to let me know. Best wishes, Erin!
I just found you today through the Abundant Mama Project and this was the first post I read on your Facebook page.
I don’t know how you did it but it is as if you crept into my soul, read it and wrote it out for me–along with that which I so desperately need to know. I am have great difficulty accepting I am still who I was/am…that I am Me. It does seem as I need a friend more…I do have a child with delays, etc., though I have long ago chosen to know that it was never my fault-however, there is always a guilt of some kind, scale?! Bleck!
You have a beautiful way of writing and touching and I am eager to read more!
Thank you…I feel better already today
Hi Merrick! I know we already connected on Facebook, but I wanted to say thank you so much for making my day! It brings me so much joy knowing that this influenced you for good today. I can definitely relate to what you said about your struggle to accept yourself—I guess that’s why I wrote this!
I’ve been doing a self-love series that you might appreciate. Landing page is here—https://ericalayne.co/2015/09/introducing-31-days-to-radical-self-love.html
Thanks again for reading, girl! Many best wishes!