an unexpected side effect of self-love

pc: Jude Beck, Unsplash

This past Sunday, I had the opportunity to have a very honest conversation with a woman in class.  We were discussing our emotional and spiritual well-being during this crazy time.  Inspired by her willingness to be vulnerable, I found myself freely sharing with this woman that I have been experiencing a deep sense of loneliness lately.  What suprised me most was not that I had shared something that I normally keep to myself out of shame, it was that I wasn't really bothered by the loneliness.

Later that day, as I was thinking about what I had shared, I realized that I was experiencing an unexpected side effect of a self-love practice.  It's not that all the difficult emotions and sensations have disappeared, it's that they don't feel as all-encompassing anymore.  They're not as scary.  They don't take over.  I can relate to them with more grace and ease.  And I don't have to try to make them go away or pretend like they're not there.  I don't have to be ashamed of feeling less than ok sometimes.  Loving myself allows me to have a full human experience without shame, without hiding, without embarassment.

This felt like such a huge breakthrough to me.  And such a relief.  I can feel deeply lonely and still be ok.  I hope you find that, more and more, as you engage with the Love Body Method of practicing self-love, that you are able to be with the not okayness and still feel ok.  We're here to support you in that and we're here to offer practical tools to move you in that direction.

Not sure where to start?  Try a yoga class (click for schedule).  Or check out some of our other blog posts, many of which contain simple practices that you can do today.  Start small.  Stay engaged.  Stay with yourself.

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