It takes major courage to change - to change something about yourself, to change something about your environment, and to change the way that you allocate your time and energy. It takes courage and vulnerability to acknowledge areas for improvement. It takes courage to initiate behavioral adjustments. And, it takes courage and strength to continuously show up for yourself - especially when the folx around you are not engaging in these new activities. It takes regular practice to demonstrate your commitment to yourself and to that new behavior you are wanting to implement.
My love, I know that it is challenging, but I promise you that it is so incredibly worth it. It is deeply rewarding to expand past the limiting actions, the limiting beliefs, and the limiting societal expectations that have been placed on us (I mean, deeply rewarding!)
I reached a considerable wellness milestone today and honestly, I am just so proud of myself! I truly didn’t know at the beginning of this journey whether or not I would stick with the behaviors that I wanted and I was fearful that I would slip back into old patterns that were not filled with love towards myself. Of course, I didn’t know how this would go, but I consistently chose to commit to my evolution and my freedom. And, I was patient.
Now, I am reaping big rewards - just the beginning of the big rewards I know I am to reap. It started with one simple, yet powerful act of courage to choose differently and to decide better. I had to make that decision for myself and anyone desiring alterations to their life will need to do the same. Meaningful change starts within. Whether that involves increasing daily hydration and water intake, practicing mindfulness and yoga on a regular basis, or eliminating consumption of a certain substance, know that whatever it is that you want, you can have. Whatever it is that you want to create for yourself, you can manifest. YOU CAN! But, you have to first believe that you can and you must commit to yourself. This is the reason why previously, I was unable to make this change - because I didn’t intentionally decide to commit. I was not “all in”. However, once I invested in myself, with purpose, my world was transfigured.
I'll be honest - it was very, very hard. At first, I felt completely alone and misunderstood. I was lost and fell flat on my face (figuratively and literally). Once I dusted myself off, though, I took a breath and looked around. "Why am I doing this? What’s the benefit?" The answer is self-love. As rap priestess Lizzy Jeff said, “growth is my prize.”
Because I am a Sun Scorpio baby co-ruled by Mars (action) and Pluto (transformation), I embrace revolution and cultural shifts. I find it incredibly exciting to personally develop, even if sometimes forced change may initially be met with resistance (COVID-19 pandemic, I’m looking at you!) Inevitably, I will learn and grow as a result - and that’s the benefit of trying something new.
Now I view my life as one big experiment. “Let me try something…” and if it doesn’t work, I can try something else! Experimenting with morning routines, mindfulness practices, body movements, etc. until I figure out what suits me best at this moment of my existence.
I have astonishing clarity and more energy than ever. I feel much closer to myself and so authentic in my voice that I could never see myself returning to some of these unhealthy habits I once had - that were truly just weighing me down and preventing me from ascending. I am courageous enough to change and dedicated enough to commit to my self-love practices.
There’s also something wonderfully appealing about knowing that I hold the power and that nobody else is going to do this for me. Nobody else can reinforce this behavior as much as I will because it is so important to me. I feel empowered knowing not only that I can, but that I did change and even more positive transformations are on the way.
Giving myself the space and the grace to test the ways in which I am living my life is where I ultimately discover, and rediscover, my power.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post and explore my site.
May you have the courage to liberate yourself.
Be well.
💚
Love,
Jasmine
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