Describe one positive change you have made in your life.

No fair, describe one positive change in my life? I’ve made so many and each was important. As I recollect, (on my journey) I can see the big changes I made that led to even more progress and changes.

The ‘big kahuna/mothership’ on my journey was learning that love starts within each of us and hence learned to love myself. I have struggled most of my life to achieve this and it took a lot of effort on my part to get there.

As I was navigating a minefield in the rapid exodus (most recent and toxic) of my marriage I had to find it, the strength the inner power to extricate myself. I started journaling and writing daily affirmations to myself. I built myself up became a friend to me and realized at the time it was what I’d been missing all of my life. These love letters to me at first seemed foreign but I persevered and I believed it had reread them often. Though I feel the experience was mildly odd (talking to one’s self or writing in my case) I kept going and it worked. I ultimately escaped that toxic life and will finish paying for it soon (2 alimony payments remain).

Fast forward two years and change (2 months) to present day and I’m living my best life (I guess it began at 50 for me), working a job I love, trying to get my blog going finally (just 3 weeks and change in), I feel peace and grace often, people are in my life or arrive in it because I want them to.

The old adage “You cannot truly love someone if you do not first love and accept yourself” is beyond true but I have my own twist on this. “It all starts with us, if you do not love yourself, don’t expect your partner/significant other to.” This is the lesson which I lived and learned over and over again in the hardest way possible over 28 years.

Love yourself, your weird, odd, eccentric, one of a kind self. You are beautiful and amazing and the mild was definitely tossed away after they created you. ❤️

-aaa