8 WAYS TO PRACTICE SELF LOVE. you are enough RIGHT HERE. RIGHT NOW. sarahherstichlcsw.com

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1 8 WAYS TO PRACTICE SELF LOVE you are enough RIGHT HERE. RIGHT NOW. sarahherstichlcsw.com

2 I get it. You're sick and tired of the not-good-enough story that your mind has been playing over its proverbial loud speaker. You're ready to start trusting yourself. Ready to start living without holding yourself back out of fear of judgement. Ready to rise up, standing in the power that is within you, to let go of your belief that you aren't worthy of achieving your deepest dreams and desires. You're ready to show the world who you are. Raw, authentic, beautiful, flawed... and un-replicated. I want to help you stand in your power. I'm screaming from the mountain tops so that you can hear me loud and clear: YOU ARE ENOUGH! Right here. Right now. Here are 8 ways that you can start believing it too.

3 1 2 Recognize what makes you one of a kind Bring on the affirmations! Grab a pice of paper, start a note in your phone, or pick up that journal that has been collecting dust lately. There will never be anyone else in this world that is exactly like you. What sets you apart? What makes you the badass of your own life? List your gifts & talents Now, recognize how you put those gifts &talents into action everyday. What can you do more of to showcase these assets? Repeat after me... "I am a big deal. I am the only me there will ever be. I am enough" Start to challenge your self talk. This is what affirmations do; they push against the negative thought-loops that have become all encompassing. What do you need to hear more of to bring you back to your truth? What statements strike that "hell ya" nerve that make you want to live in, and radiate, their power? "I deserve love and respect" "I am capable of loving every part of myself" "I am beautiful, from the inside out" Repeat them.. When you wake up. When you're at work. When you're driving. When you feel like life has punched you in the gut. Get excited about how and why your affirmations are true. Notice how you start to believe them.

4 3 4 Do more of what lights your heart on fire Put your inner-critic in its place Stop denying yourself access to your truest passions. Push yourself, in the face of discomfort and fear, to create opportunities to participate in what you love. Make time to surround yourself with the people and experiences that make you feel whole, that feed you to your core. Begin to let go of people and experiences that drain your energy and that aren't in line with your personal growth. This will help you begin to create a life that you love living, instead of settling for what you think other's expect of you. Prioritize taking care of yourself by engaging in what you love. Quite simply because you deserve it. Because you are enough. When you feel an emotional hit, attune to what your mind is telling you. What does it say when... You look in the mirror every morning? Your boss criticizes something you've been working on? Your friend flakes out and doesn't call back to set up your night out? Notice what your mind is telling you when you're feel the lowest of the low. And start to push back. Come up with a response to put it in it's place. Make a conscious effort to replace your harshest thoughts with ones that are understanding, non-judgmental and empowering. Stop believing everything your mind is telling you. Poke holes in its story whenever possible.

5 5 Mind your own business 6 Forgive yourself You've heard it a million times. "Comparison is the thief of joy" Byron Katie is spot on by saying: "There are only three kinds of business in the universe: mine, yours, and God s. Whose business is it if an earthquake happens? God s business. Whose business is it if your neighbor down the street has an ugly lawn? Your neighbor s business. Whose business is it if you are angry at your neighbor down the street because he has an ugly lawn? Your business." By minding your own business the comparison trap starts to lose its momentum. When you prioritize your own business, you start to own what makes you awesome. In turn, what makes other's awesome, isn't as threatening anymore. Because, you're starting to see that... Like you would your best friend. Your mind has been telling you stories that capitalize on sparking feelings of guilt, shame, insecurity. You know firsthand how destructive these stories are. This is why it's time to forgive yourself for the events, experiences and interactions that these stories are based off of. The longer you hold on to this hurt, the longer you will be at the mercy of guilt and shame. You're human. You have messed up in the past. You've hurt other people, just like other people have hurt you. Consider that holding onto these feelings are doing nothing but preventing you from fully enjoying life. They are doing nothing but harming you and pulling you further from the people that mean the most to you. Now, offer yourself forgiveness. Relentlessly. Until you feel yourself being released from the grips of your regret. You are enough.

6 7 8 Offer yourself compassion Embrace the journey You're doing the best you can with what you've got. Successes and failures will come and go. They are a part of life, part of the human experience. The fact that we all experience them connects us to one another in a very real way. Next time you fall victim to your innercritic ask yourself, "how would I respond if my best friend was saying this about her/himself?" Now, consider why it is not acceptable for your friend to talk to her/himself in this way, but it is acceptable for you. See where I'm going? Self compassion will help you lessen the hold that your most hurtful thoughts and emotions have over you. It will also help you ride the wave of negative emotions, and develop a sense of positivity that you are capable of riding the wave, and that you will be ok. Because you are enough. Everyday won't be rainbows and butterflies, just as everyday won't be shadows and darkness. Take the good days and run with them. Embrace how it feels to live in the light of loving all that you are. On the not-so-good days, allow that light to guide you. When in doubt, recall what makes you amazing. Use your affirmations. Challenge your inner critic. Do what makes you feel whole. Stay in your business and offer yourself forgiveness and compassion. Above all else, remind yourself: YOU ARE ENOUGH Right here. Right now.

7 How does this sit with you? I know, it's easier said than done. Prioritizing self love isn't something that will happen over night. I'm asking you to take a new approach to the way you see yourself, in a very real and committed way. I'm also reassuring you that it's possible to chip away at setting your default to one that is uncharted territory. A territory that I know you've been longing to live in. This isn't only a mind shift, but a lifestyle shift. But, I know you can do it. Feel like you need a little extra support as you start your journey toward owning what makes you beautifully badass? I'd be honored to hear your story, help you learn from your past, set intentions for your future and live in the light of loving all that you are. Know that I will be here to remind you that you are, and always have been, enough.