soothing

my journal page - with self soothing words written underneath the sleeping woman held up by a feather

I am entering a place in my life where i am opening my heart to the possibility that it might be a good thing to take care of myself.

And that to treat myself with loving kindness is a gift to all those around me.

To try the possibility that finding validation within myself is the only way that i can be living the life i was sent here to live. If i seek validation outside myself i will only be twisting my truth to suit other people's needs instead of letting it stand for itself.

And to do this, when things get rough, i need to be able to say the kind words to myself that i long to hear outside myself.

I am making an effort to notice when i am scared, when i am on alert.

i take a breath and i say the kind of things i want to hear in those moments (inside my head - i am not ready to be taken away in the white van just yet)

"It's alright sweetheart" "You are safe" "It's ok honey" "You are loved" "Just breathe through this"

The words are seldom the same but the effect is always a softening, a loosening, more energy flows through me, i don't feel the need to defend or barricade or go on the attack... i just stay with the softeness.

As i thought about this today (for an artjournal page) i looked up the word SOOTHE and it comes from the Old English word sothian which means "to show to be true"

To soothe myself takes me back to my truth, my true nature, softness, kindness and love.....