Feel happier, right now!

A "Love Letter" to Yourself. Read it! It's for you.

People talk a lot about "loving yourself," but what does that really mean? It isn't often articulated HOW you actually do that! It just sounds so corny! Other than the often suggested mirror-talking, where you dramatically say, "I love you!!!" to your reflection and then feeling so extremely embarrassed, like Stuart Smiley from SNL "I"m good enough, smart enough, and gosh darn it, people like me!" that you wished you hadn't even said it. 

Try this instead. This is a poem to read to yourself. No mirror (or horrible Stuart Smiley hairstyle) needed. This poem might help to express what it really means "to love yourself," more than a corny affirmation ever could! I know it's long, but be patient -- this part of yourself will be more receptive to embracing this with repetition! Reading this once a day is a great recipe for a stronger foundation of self. If you've previously pissed off this inner part of yourself by neglecting yourself, ignoring your feelings, etc., it may take a bit of time to get it to open up. So be patient. 

Read it to the part of yourself that feels small and in need of love. Think of this as a Valentine you're sending yourself. Like that awesome secret admirer you always wanted in 2nd grade!! 

And why again, are we doing this? Hmm? Aside from making your life tons happier, you'll notice lots more confidence, an easier time taking action, and you'll find yourself more willing to take on risks -- which leads to an overall improved and more successful life. A strong inner foundation is the basis for your most successful and easy life in all areas: relationships, career, friendships, etc. Building a foundation of strength is one of the main things I work on with all of my clients, regardless of how successful they are already -- this gets them to the next left. 

Note: If reading this makes you feel uncomfortable, just note that resistance. You might be feeling your need to be "perfect" in order to receive love. If you feel that way, it's all the more reason to plow forward with this exercise. Sadly, the world we live in often doesn't teach us how to do this stuff, so most people are quite "inner love starved" That's the world we live in. But we can all learn. Take a breath and give it a whirl. So read away and re-read this often. It's your love letter after all! 

To: Me. 

Always love

I love you always

when you do just great

and also when you lose and make 

many absurd mistakes.

I love you when you're decisive

and also when you can't choose.

I love you when you're strong

and when you're shaking

with weakness too.

When you're healthy as a horse,

and when you're sick and blue.

I love you as a child,

so beautiful and small,

and as a small person,

just like a little doll.

I love you as a young adult,

and an older one too.

I love you every minute

you're alive, and even after too.

I love you when you look fantastic

and your eyes just gleam,

as well as when you look so horrid 

and your true beauty goes unseen.

I love you when you get everything

done just right, and also when you 

drop the ball and procrastinate all night.

I love you when you do things well and make me 

proud and succeed,

and also when you fall flat on your face

and embarrass me.

When you're calm and happy I love you 

through and through,

just as much as when you're angry, depressed,

scared out of your mind, or sad and blue.

I love your mistakes and every regrets you still have, 

and all of your ugliness, and nightmares, it doesn't mean you're bad.

I love it all because it's all a part of you, even if it's something

you once tried (and failed) to do.

I'm not just saying this. It really is so true.

I love you even with failures, and even when people left,

when you were rejected and ignored, my lap is always here

for your head to rest. I love every nuance of your feelings

and every dream you've ever had, even when you're screaming

or annoying,

I just can't help but love you back.

I love you when you're too young or too old,

when you're overly shy or overly bold. When you've lost it 

all, or when you're dancing down a grand hall. 

I love it all.

I love you when you only got half the things on your

list completed, when you filled out the form wrong,

and when you didn't win, but conceded. 

When you're not logical enough, or too emotional, or

not emotional enough, or too logical, I love every inch

of you, because it's all a part of you.

I love you for your confidence, and the confidence

still unrealized. The part of you who doesn't yet know

how big your eyes will grow, when you see your full 

potential unroll at your feet, just like a red carpet,

and your beautiful future, you do meet.

I love you for your fear, the future and unknown, not

knowing if you can handle it, if you can build yourself

a life and home. I love you for the weakness because it 

does make you strong. And being human, your feelings

could never ever be wrong.

I love you for the things you wish had been different,

and the times you felt you were just sleeping

in a tent out in the rain alone, and everyone else had a home.

I love you for your loneliness and every single wound.

For all of your terrors and even that critical eye

that zooms right in onto all your flaws, and hangs it on the wall,

I even love that critical part of you, because it's still a part of you.

I hope that all of my love will someday dissolve these walls,

that keep you so lonely, and feeling always flawed. I hope

that it does melt these many layers of iron you've placed over

your heart, so that your life can finally start.

Never waiting for "someday" ever again, but grabbing your hand, we shall

become friends. And go off to do whatever your heart wants to 

explore. Seeing life as a playground, nothing less and nothing more.

This is my wish for you. To see my love as true. And though

I haven't always told you, I've always been right here next to you. 

I know you've been so very alone, with your own empty heart

in your own hand, but now I'm beside you, and I will always do

my best to understand.

Though were hurt by cold absence and disinterested eyes,

it was like a whip against your back and in that coldness you felt

despised, know those times are over now

and blame will do no good. Instead fall into my warm arms and know

I'm like a nice long walk through your favorite neighborhood.

I'm the soft place you can always fall. When you yell, I will come

running every time you call. I will not judge your fears or emotions as 

right or wrong, but I will only see them clearly, and try to understand what went 

wrong.

Like a child who only needs the comfort of an outstretched loving

hand, it is a human need to be cared for and loved, as much as it's a need to fly

for a dove. You don't say a dove is weak for needing to fly, and I'll never judge

you for wanting to see the warmth of kind, concerned eyes. 

Though many people who have loved you have came and went, or only loved

you sometimes, or left you outside the house in a tent, I can promise you this, I'll make it my life's work to love you always,

because there is nothing worse on the planet than not knowing your heart matters. 

And though you may think you are small and insignificant, to me you are a gold mine,

and we're moving from that tent, right into a mansion, because that's what you mean to me.

Maybe you didn't see it before, because others didn't see? But I have seen what lies under

that thin layer of mud, and it's a gleaming rock of gold right under that crud.

You are gold to me, and don't let me forget, to tell you this always. If I haven't said it

much before, it's not because you didn't deserve it. But because I wasn't sure how to tell

you. But now that I'm learning how to say it, I hope you're learning how to know it's true. 

I wrote this poem to you, to you, this small part of myself, which desperately

needs my healing and all of the love of myself. This scared lonely part

has waited far too long, but now that I'm an adult all grown and strong, I can be the 

rain to you and send down a shower that tells you that you belong, like candy falling right from the sky,

I hope to drop droplets of love right into your eyes. 

Like a favorite song gets stuck in your mind,

I want you to know I love you and I care all of the time. 

(This is a love letter to yourself. Just like any relationship, remind yourself of how you feel. Re-read this often, until it is just a part of your being). <3 p="p">