Wake Up Call
Do you remember who you were before life taught you to be something different?
Life taught me to be quiet, colorless, unassuming, helpful, self-sacrificing, “good.” But a much younger version of myself was loud, quirky, bright, and playful. Happy.
Life teaches us, layer upon layer upon layer, to hide from who we are. To put on a mask so we can feel loved and accepted. It isn’t a comfortable mask, but we wear it so we can fit in. And when you have worn it long enough, it starts to feel normal.
Uncomfortable in our own skin, we watch our calories, coordinate our colors, throw perfect parties, hold down the fort at home and at work, and try endlessly to feel worthy.
Reaching for that elusive perfection that will finally make us feel we have a right to the air we breathe and the space we take up.
Sometimes it takes a drastic wake up call to get our attention and arouse us from this dream.
One tiny wrong step, a twisted sprained ankle, broken kneecap, and six weeks in a wheelchair woke me up. Hard.
I wish it hadn’t taken such drastic measures, but I don’t regret it. I knew literally from the moment it happened that life was sending me a gift.
Something to make me pause and deeply reflect, looking for meaning; to emerge on the other side with a plan for reclamation.
Life is short and there’s no point in spending it trying to live your live for someone else’s approval. The approval that will bring you to reclamation of who you were before the layers accumulated must come from YOU.
It’s about loving yourself. REALLY loving yourself.
As I advocate for myself, for my health, for my space, for acceptance of everything that I am, life takes on more color, more meaning, more loud.
It’s about being authentic and real.
And I’m too old to pretend to be anything but what I am – loud, quirky, bright, and playful.
Happy.
Blessings on your health path,
Anne
P.S.: Flower essences were a big part of my recovery. The Peaceful Body remedy helped me with the challenge of being in a body not working right.
It helped me feel comfortable with not being perfect. GET IT HERE.
