With Soul: you’re perfect where you are
don't look past now because you want to be somewhere different
Happy Monday, friends.
I hope each of you celebrated the holiday weekend surrounded by love and with a renewed sense of “beginnings.”
All at once, spring is budding around us and I could write for days how I absolutely love seeing plants bud at their own rate. Spring is my favorite season because it serves as a reminder that we all bloom on our timeline, and there is no point on focusing on energy on how others grow when we have our own work to do.
It’s a theme I write a lot about in poetry, too. One of my goals this year is to re-release all my books, starting with my poetry book, Seasons and then my children’s books, with my name on the cover… no one else’s. With the re-release of Seasons, I am also working on a digital journal for all my iPad friends out there. All of this might be a shock to you since before this newsletter, I never wrote about my books.
For so many years, I overlooked the incredible accomplishment of writing books and self publishing them. In my eyes, they were associated with my past and it was difficult to accept that. The entanglement of divorce and healing is a tricky thing to navigate, and what I am learning is that the roots I began to grow needed new environment, not to be entirely discarded. I didn’t want to wear the scarlet letter of divorce anymore. I didn’t want the judgement or silent scoffs as I plan my dream wedding to a man who makes my soul feel home. And, so I erased my past completely subconsciously, only for it to continue to creep into my life.
In overlooking my past success, I tried to jump a few spaces on the monopoly board of life, only to be put in jail, and not pass “Go” until I learned that it’s okay to have a past.
So many of us spend our days yearning for change that we forget there was once a day where we wished to be where we are now. Whether it’s our relationships with our bodies, our financial situation, romance, or our careers, we will always have area of improvements. And, that’s the beauty of life. Living, and just being here now, is a gift that allows us to continue forward.
Do not overlook your now because you desire more. Do not hate your body now because you want to be skinnier. Do not quiet quit at your job because you want another one. When you do, it carries with you until you’re forced to face the root of the problem. We can not heal our wounds by compartmentalizing them. We must face them, so that we can release them. In every aspect of your life, it is how you navigate the times that aren’t perfect that dictate what doors open in your future. When we hate our now, we will not appreciate our future.
To love yourself, and your life, means that you cannot have conditions. To live a fulfilled life you must appreciate your now so that you can take micro steps each day to your future. It will all come together, darling. You just have to accept that you are meant for more, and all of that comes to you the more rooted in yourself you become.
Remember, there is still so much more in store for you.
JOURNAL PROMPT OF THE WEEK
This weeks journal prompt is going to be a two parter. The first part, I hope you implement daily. I am an old school journal keeper and for the last two years, I have written my gratitude in my moleskin notebook. It was difficult at first, but it has changed my mindset. The second part is for you to truly visualize the life you want.
I am so happy and grateful for:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
I am trusting the process of what will be, and I visualize my life as:
As always, I’ll go first:
I am so happy and grateful for:
this newsletter- it gives me a space to write again all while remembering that connection, community and finding words that resonate with people has always been my goal.
the abundance of ideas that flow. Sure, to some, it might seem like I’m juggling too much, but all of this is coming together in a way that allows me to be creative.
My apartment. As I sit here in my book nook on the third floor, hearing the sounds of dan and the pups in the living room, I am so wildly in awe that I live in the town I’ve wanted to be in for so long, in an apartment that is larger than my house I once owned.
my job- it’s been difficult/a mental block of my own to accept that I actually love having a full time job, because in my head my success was connected to entrepreneurship. But, my job gives me freedom and a place to make a community a little better, and I’m grateful I learned to accept that, instead of running away from it.
The Monsignor we met with- getting married in a church was a dream of mine, and I’m grateful the Monsignor allowed us in his home without judgement. His kind words and perspective helped me release my judgements on myself.
I am trusting the process of what will be, and I visualize my life as:
I am a writer, and my romance novel is published by a boutique publishing house. I am about to go on a book tour and we’re bringing our daughter with us. My space here has thousands of subscribers, a community, and a cookbook on the way. My readers feel empowered and like they know me, which is incredible. I am financially abundant, and am able to give back in more ways than just time. Together, we own a historic home in Huntington and are in the process of buying land upstate- a retreat for all our Framily and Family. Love Yourself Space is a successful merch line and I am able to hire my friends to help run it. I am able to take a step back there so I can write more.
As a photographer, I specialize in portraits and we have a studio in our home where I can do two sessions a month and the proceeds from those sessions are donated to women shelters. And, while I don’t work at my full time job anymore, I sit on the board of directors there and am involved in community organizations. The work I am doing now is foundational and the events we started have only grown bigger.
Now, it’s your turn. I can’t wait to see what you come up with.
As always, thank you for being here. I know a few weeks ago I announced a special Friday newsletter. While I liked the idea, I didn’t like the concept I came up with initially. So, I spent time with this. This is a niche place, and what makes it different from other food blogs is that it’s practical cooking. So, in that spirit, our Friday newsletter for paid subscribers will be a downloadable grocery list with 3 nights of recipes ideas for you!
A little shameless plug: Our sassy apron line is still 15% off and the Love Yourself Space will be getting so t-shirts and swag this week!
I’ll see you Thursday with some Salt, friends.
First of all, yay to re-releasing your work - that's exciting!!
Second... man, this post really hits. "When we hate our now, we will not appreciate our future." This really resonates. We have to appreciate all that pain from the past (and present) eventually, because without it, we can't flourish. <3