Spirited Woman!
I am honored to be featured on this April’s “Spirited Woman Top 12 Pick List”. The purpose of the Spirited Woman foundation is “to help heal and support women through actions of empowerment”. I was nominated for the work I am doing with women and girls who struggle with eating disorders and for facilitating self-love and acceptance.
I did not always know my own value. A man once told me “you do not know yourself”. I was insulted as I prided myself on being “wise and insightful.” The truth was, he was right. He recognized what I did not at the time. I had no real sense of my Self and did not respect myself. I chased validation on the outside as I could not find it on the inside.
It took recovery to discover my power, my truth, my worth. I found awareness and understanding to be the key to self-compassion. I grew up with a mother who taught me to never underestimate myself. She taught me to be independent, intuitive, creative, and loving. Yet, she herself struggles with her own self-acceptance. She has deeper empathy than most, more intuition, and a bucket of incredible talent. And yet, she doubts. She probably comes from a long line of women in my maternal lineage with strong inner critics. I believe my illnesses and my recovery have allowed me to interrupt this lineage of self-doubt. It has gifted me a voice that is now used to remind others of their value.
I see myself in you.
You who struggle with self-loathing and doubt.
You who struggle with dark thoughts and fears.
I am you and know
you are more than you can understand in this moment
More than you are able to see
I trust that your time will come as well
And it will be freeing
Relieving
And unbelievably beautiful