A Look at Self-Love

Self-love is the road toward healing. These prompts are an invitation to step inside yourself. Rupi Kaur

When working on self-love it really does mean you will take a step inside and pull out where you are self-loving and not. It means that you will know that feelings are not good or bad, but rather just are, and be okay with those emotions.

In recovery, I was taught that it is okay for almost everyone to have anger to deal with anger in a healthy way. This does not include the alcoholic. We can not afford to stay there. It is better if we get rid of that emotion as soon as possible. I was told to pray for who I am angry with and what I am angry about.

It can take 2 weeks. That has worked for me. After a while in recovery, I found that I like my serenity, I don't wish to hold on to anger, to have resentments. I have a way to get through the emotions and resentments now. That is loving self.

I know now that tough times will go and when I have a tough time, it doesn't have to take up my thoughts and feelings all day. Most of the time now those thoughts and feelings are short-lived. That is loving self.

It is a good thing to be my own best friend. To lessen the grief that I can bring on myself. I liked the message that goes something like this, "Hanging onto resentment is like taking poison and expecting the other person to die."

For today, I will love myself by handling anger and resentment when they show up with prayer and the other good managing ways I have learned.

Rupi Kaur's Self-Love Writing Prompts - A piece of clothing that makes me feel powerful is _____________________.

For me, it would be my jingle dress and pink shawl. Both are healing for myself and others.

My sister made my old-style jingle dress. These dresses were made as healing dresses. They came from a father's dream when his daughter was dying. She didn't die. Now they are used as healing dresses. When wearing them we are dancing for our people.

At the Powwow for Hope, an annual fundraiser for the Native American Cancer Foundation I was given a pink shawl in honor of the women that had survived breast cancer and those still fighting.

The shawl is considered a healing shawl to wear when dancing with other survivors and for those going through breast cancer treatment.

Rupi Kaur's Self-Love Writing Prompts - I am worthy of being loved because __________________.

We are all lovable as children of God/Creator.

Rupi Kaur's Self-Love Writing Prompts - What is something new you recently discovered about yourself that surprised you?

When my husband and I disagreed about political candidates, I got stuck there in that dispute. I told my husband I was so upset that I didn't know if we could make it until November.

He apologized but that wasn't enough.

I told him that he or I may need to live somewhere else until the election was over and we had accepted the result. After a few days of being restless, irritable, and discontent, I remembered a meeting with old timers as a young woman new to recovery.

They said, "When you are new it is very common to get restless, irritable, and discontent easily. That is written in the literature." And when that happens, I was told, it is important to redouble your efforts. This means self-love and caring for yourself.

That was going on with me. And I am not a newcomer. In recovery, it is sometimes referred to as a dry drunk. I couldn't believe that was true for me. I thought perhaps my husband but me?

Yes, That is something I recently discovered about myself that was a surprise. Redoubling my efforts includes greeting the sunrise every morning. Singing songs in my Ojibwe language in the four directions and praying with the medicine our people were told to use.

It was day three this morning and I am way better with no interest in stopping for a while yet. Maybe after the election, I will be safe!