FlowersTake time to go within and cry or grieve:

Each day that you practice self-love you are honoring yourself and your deepest feelings. Many of the challenges I shared so far could become a daily practice.

A big part of self-love is to connect within and to honor feelings you may have avoided for your own reasons. Today’s challenge is for you to allow some deep feelings you may have buried at some point in your life, to resurface and to feel them. You will need to set aside 10 to 15 minutes of alone time. Let your family, employees, co-workers or roommates know that you need some quiet and uninterrupted time. If you are going through a recent loss of any kind, skip the part of timing yourself, and feel and honor your feelings and be where you are.

If it resonates with you, light a candle and/or burn incense, and turn on music that will help you go deep, before you start the exercise. This exercise asks you to connect within, with a pain or grief from the past that you are carrying and/or that you pushed down hoping not to have to ever feel or think about it again. Start by breathing deeply, and connect with your heart. Once you feel it coming up, if it will feel safer to do so, set up a timer for five or ten minutes, so that you know you will be there for that time and you will come out of it soon. It may even only take a few minutes of non-resistance and of honoring your feelings, for it to be released. Allow yourself to cry, to go deep, and to feel all that comes up for you. When the time is up, release it, make sure to breathe deeply, spend a minute hugging yourself, thank yourself for honoring your feelings, and be kind to yourself for the rest of the day.

The grief could be about the passing of a loved one, a relationship that ended, a business that failed, a career you let go of to pursue a new dream, a health issue you overcame, a life you always thought you wanted and still hasn’t happened, your financial situation, an accident, and/or anything else that may come up for you.

Since I’ve been practicing to honor my feelings, I have allowed myself to grieve many events that happened in the last couple of years as the feelings come up - the passing of my spiritual guide, teacher and dear friend six months ago today; the passing of a dear friend who also went too soon; the loss of my 16-year old family dog; a successful career I left; a relationship that ended; and also grieving unthinkable and unimaginable losses that friends experienced. Each time tears or sadness come up, I connect again, and I’m able to release a little more and it helps with the healing process.

The timing yourself exercise is good to bring up pain from the past that you might have  avoided for whatever reason, and it is a way to acknowledge that it is safe, you are going there for a few minutes and you will let it move through you. Remember to nurture yourself throughout the day and take care of yourself today. If you need additional support, make sure to call a friend and/or loved one and ask for what you need.

Sending you much love, support, and a virtual hug.