So often, the ugly way we treat ourselves starts with shame.

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Big emotions. Big needs. Big hurts we carry for years.​

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Quietly, still smiling, we carry them.

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We don't want to be a burden. In fact, we pride ourselves on knowing how to fend for ourselves, take care of ourselves, figure everything out.

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The world forced us to smother our voices, shrink our needs, and prioritize the appearance of being "low maintenance," with the assurance that we'd be safer this way.

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Eventually, we just carried on doing the same to ourselves...

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All while apologizing whenever we burn out, break down, and finally ask for help; and the support we shine on others we dare not accept.

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Because we were taught to suffer in silence, and accept that our imperfections and emotions are socially unacceptable.

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The reek of shame has made us wear politeness as our perfume; we've performed perfectionism in every area of our lives, diligently distracted by the dire needs of others, forever exhausted, moving too quickly to let anyone see that the pleasantries are a mask.

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But this has been a life of black and white.

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We're either flawless or we've failed.

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We've either perfected the art of Acts Of Service or we're unforgivable friends, family members, coworkers, partners.

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We're either so tough that we can definitively declare:

"I don't need anyone!"

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or...

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We're worthless.

 

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We've been under the impression that if the satisfaction of others doesn't sufficiently sustain us then we don't deserve anything good in our lives.

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The praise, the patience, the pleasure... the peace.

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In the gray, between too much and not enough, we've lived for quite long enough.

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We have punished and pitied ourselves enough.

We have bullied and been hard on ourselves enough.

We have mimicked every mean thing anyone has ever said to us wayyyyyyyyyy fucking more than enough!!

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You, my love, are here because you're ready to let the color come back in.

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You want the vibrant life; a life that gives you peace, permission to be creative, and cultivates a culture of compassion which radiates powerfully from your core.

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And not some spiritual bypass-y bullshit *GoOd ViBeS OnLy* kinda life.

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You want the real. The raw. The human experience.

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You want to know what it's like to fully accept each and all parts of yourself AND respect the hell out of 'em, but in such a way that's soooooo gentle, so kind, and so soft that who you become finally feels whole; strong in a different way than anyone has ever shown you you could be.

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You're here because you deserve it...