Over the last five years I have been on a mission to get to know myself. There’s always been an urge to know what makes me tick. It sometimes feels like there is more of me scratching at the surface, asking to come out and live in this world more freely. It’s a one step forward, two steps backwards dance as I uncover more of what I like, more of what I dislike, and how best to honor and live out those discoveries. Below are three of the most significant ways that I have made positive changes for myself.
Wearing Glasses
I didn’t want to be known for wearing glasses, so I wore contacts during the day. I also wore eyeliner, feeling naked without it. I did this until one day my contacts would not stay in. It felt like there were wood chips in my eyes and there was pain for several hours after removing the contacts. The eye doctor simply stated that I had dry eyes and that contacts were probably not going to work for me physically. Still, I persisted. I severely aggravated my eyes and caused myself unnecessary pain. I suddenly realized that I was choosing to torture my very important eyesight for vanity. This can be said about many, many things we do to our bodies (i.e., waxing) and I finally decided that I didn’t want to be so mean to myself anymore.
So, I accepted my eyes as they are and found glasses that work for me and my vanity. The biggest hurdle was deciding that I was okay with being known for wearing (cute) glasses. And that has made all the difference! I am walking in a truth that honors my physical and mental states; I feel both confident and comfortable because I love my new glasses (pictured above)!
Practicing Yoga
I previously mentioned that I started working out more regularly. I did this to become healthier, but found that I was always hurting, and not in the feel-good post-workout way. My body was trying to tell me that this style of exercise wasn’t working. Did I listen? No, I did not. When I finally hurt myself enough to cause nerve pain, I figured I should probably call it quits and switch to yoga. Stretching has always been my favorite part of any exercise, and with my ballet background yoga is a perfect fit. I’ve also noticed an improvement in my mental well-being, something that yoga is definitelyknown for producing. This too confirms that I am living in alignment with my truest self, in addition to uncovering more of myself each time that I practice. Plus, I can easily practice yoga in my living room :).
Letting My Hair Grow
Lara Casey recently let her hair down, literally, and has never looked more beautiful. She thought that her hair was too curly, so she straightened it or kept it up for the past decade. Upon deciding to live as she was made, she embraced her curls and they make her face shine. It makes perfect sense that her hair looks better in its natural state; her hair was made curly for a reason. In this regard, I am honoring the fact that my hair looks best long. Empowered by other women who let their hair do what it wants, I just wash and dry mine and let it be. This has led to me discovering my best kind of hair cut too, which means I can save money at the salon and cut it myself, ha!
I hope this note encourages you to honor what your body and/or mind might be trying to tell you about yourself. Noticing what’s going on is only half of the battle. The other, and harder part, is actually making a change. I feel that a strong alignment with our truth will lead us to live out our destiny.
The Honest Journey 