Reaching for the Stars...

Taking Power Over My Mind, by a Student

Love Myself as I Would a Friend...

I have learned that self-love is the number one thing most Americans struggle with next to addiction. With that being said, many addictions start with self-loathing. How did I learn to love myself so that I could become the person I want to be? First, I looked in the mirror with a loving and self-motivating eye. In order to change, I knew I had to actually see all of my greatness along with those things I wanted to change. This didn't happen in a day and it was hard to figure out and hard to start; but, I finally got it. Here is my daily routine each morning when I look at myself in the mirror:

* I say "I love you." to myself out loud 10 times

* I set my goal for the day and say it out loud 10 times (this is living with 'intention')

* I smile and say, "I am grateful you are here." 10 times

If I have extra time, I may dance to my favorite song, write down what I love about myself, and I always, always love and accept what makes me me!

Breaking My Own Stigmas...

A stigma is something that sets people apart from others and is used to disgrace them. I realized I carried my own stigmas and used them against myself! I think we all carry stigmas around about ourselves and believe them to be true when, in fact, they are false. The truth is that we hold the power to break out of our own self-imposed stigmas. What I noticed was that the moment I stopped living in a "victim" mode, my stigmas gradually disappeared and then I began to see the beauty in myself and others. 

This leads me to an important fact. The people we surround ourselves with impact the way we think and act. I surround myself with positive people who share common ideas or even challenge my old way of thinking. Even with family members, if they bring me down with their negative view on life, I love them from a distance. It is possible to love with boundaries and without judgment. 

I am my own best friend and feel very grateful for my life. I wish you the same...

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