Our messy, imperfect selves...

Being our messy, imperfect, authentic selves helps create a space where others feel safe to be themselves, too. Your vulnerability can be a gift to others. How badass is that?

— B.Oakman, If You Needed a Reason to be You

My favourite therapist says that acknowledging and accepting our own messy, imperfect selves creates safety within us and allows greater fulfilment and quality relationships. Just sayin’ :) Hugs. XO

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Life as it is...

Peace is the result of retraining your mind to process life as it is, rather than how you think it should be.

— Wayne Dyer

Thing is, our families have standards (some families only accept doctor or lawyer as a profession), society tells us what success is (athlete, movie star, Steve Jobs, Lol) and our friends may be enjoying more success than us. I think we grow up comparing ourselves to others, starting from school and the old bell curve. Hopefully we can learn to measure happiness instead and pursue fun and fulfilling activities with the people we love. Just sayin’ :) Hugs.

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Believe in yourself...

A bird sitting on a tree branch is never afraid of the branch breaking because her trust is not on the branch but on it’s own wings. Always believe in yourself.

— Unknown

My favourite therapist says we have an “internalized parent” that continues to judge and criticize everything we do. Our parents did the best they could, but they may not have given us all the positive encouragement we needed... and so we must pick up where they left off, praising and cheering ourselves on. Just sayin’ :) Hugs. XO

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Some heavy sh - -! ....

I think you are doing a beautiful job figuring out some heavy shit.

— Unknown

Life brings a lot our way, some of which is traumatic. This is on top of the usual to do list; work, school, keeping up with ever-rising bills (and taxes!), a death in the family? We’re probably doing better than we give ourselves credit for. Just sayin’ :) Hugs. XO

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Faithful guidance...

Let faith be your guiding light.

— Unknown

Serenity prayer:
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
& Wisdom to know the difference.

My favourite therapist came to the conclusion that people tend to need something more to believe in, a power bigger than ourselves. (The Serenity prayer is commonly quoted by those in his practice). I’m not a religious person per se, but I have found that my own form of praying always seems to help. Now I just need to remember to “go inward” more often. Just sayin’ :) Hugs. XO

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Do what you can...

Start where you are.
Use what you have.
Do what you can.

Is it just me, or are we pretty hard on ourselves? Maybe it’s the internalized parent or just society telling us we should be at a certain place at a certain time. As my favourite therapist would say, “we cannot change who are parents are, where we were born and what genetics and socioeconomic status we were born into.” If we’re doing the best we can, perhaps that’s good enough. If we’re dragging our heels and couching it too much, that may be all our psyche and emotional world can cope with right now. Just sayin’ :) Hugs. XO

Blessings,

Chatgirl

Stop waiting...

Stop waiting for Friday, for summer,
for someone to fall in love with you, for life.
Happiness is achieved when you stop waiting for it
and make the most of the moment you are in now.

— Unknown

Eckhart Tolle would agree. He says that we actually cause ourselves more pain by resisting things that we didn’t want or expect to happen. His quote “Do not resist” has been super helpful for me in managing my world. Just sayin’ :) Hugs. XO

Blessings,

Chatgirl