Over the past decade, I’ve been on a journey of sorts. A journey that would find me questioning and recalibrating everything I knew or thought I knew. This past year has been especially transformative. I no longer fear vulnerability, and by writing this blog, I have truly been able to experience personal freedom. Confronting hard truths while reconciling my past has been also been restorative. For better or worse this is me, and I will share with you what I’ve learned over this past year. This is the HerPicketFence Anniversary Post!
Self Love Is Paramount
Self-Love is so crucial to our well-being that it is like air to the soul. For years, I spun in circles trying to find meaning in everything, and ultimately within myself. What I didn’t realize was that my foundation has always been there, I just needed to embrace it. That foundation is me in my rawest and purest form, the authentic Stephanie. When I learned to love and embrace the truest version of myself, I transcended the insecurity and self-doubt plaguing me.
I took a self-love journey and allowed myself to be seen, which ultimately set me free. I always thought that sharing my vulnerabilities would weaken me. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Sharing your vulnerabilities is a sign of strength and inner peace. It’s proof that your mistakes and shortcomings no longer have power over you. Speaking on them shows that they don’t hold sway over you. Allow yourself to be seen. You won’t regret it.
Take The Self-Love Journey
- Love yourself unconditionally, flaws and all
- Give yourself grace
- Embrace the hard truths
- Feel the fear and keep moving forward
- Create healthy boundaries
- Make your happiness your priority
- Be present in your life
- Find your joy
Time
A valuable resource. It’s become evident now more than ever that we are blessed with a finite amount of time on this earth. What we do with our time here is entirely up to us. Do we spend it chasing superficial benchmarks and impossible goals of perfection? Are we going to waste it seeking external validation, or chasing someone else’s dream?
One of the most important things that you can do is to be intentional with your time. Spend your time where you feel joy and with the people that bring good energy to your life. Be intentional about creating boundaries that control how much influence external forces have on your well-being. Many people will come into your life bringing negative vibes. Don’t allow them to steal your time or energy, it’s way too precious.
I’ve become very discerning about my time. I make time for things that make me happy, and I spend time with the people of my choosing. I no longer allow people to drag me into their drama and drain me. Pay attention to how you feel after spending time with certain people. Do you feel uplifted or depleted? Let your answer be your guide.
Following Your Passion Is Everything…
Are you living or surviving? I asked myself that very question about 5 years ago, and I knew it was the latter. My days were consumed by stress and worry, and I wasn’t pursuing anything I was passionate about. Once I realized my mistake in not truly living the beautiful life we’ve been given, I vowed to do things differently.
I made more time for the hobbies that I had previously put on the back burner, and as a result, a bit of extra joy began to creep into my days. When you are doing something that fulfills you, you move through the world differently. Your days become more joyful, and your plans become purposeful.
What is your passion? It’s time to find out…
The Joy Of From Scratch
I’ve also learned that super meaningful things are often created from scratch. Brick by brick. When you hold an idea in the palm of your hand and gently blow on it, it grows. There is beauty in building something from nothing.
These days, there is no such thing as a quick win. Lasting success takes hard work, and we need to believe that even if we start from 0, we can be successful. The journey may be long and arduous, but the feeling of watching one of your goals come to fruition is life-changing. Put your fears aside and go for yours!
We are never too old to learn and grow, so keep evolving Queen…
If you have a moment, check out my previous post “The Girl With No Net”
https://herpicketfence.com/the-girl-with-no-net/
