Blooming self love

The subtle art to bloom in our own way

Lovely sunflower,

In my last post I reflected upon how connected we are to the lives around us. That the lakes and the plants are (literally) part of us. The reason I’m bringing this up once more is because of the tremendous correlation it has to our self worth. When we don’t see that we’re part of something other than ourselves, we also put a lot of pressure on ourselves. We’re the ones who need to perform otherwise we don’t have value. If we don't try to contribute in ways we believe are expected of us, we're not valuable. 

Separation creates a sense of worthlessness because if we don’t think we’re intrinsically connected to everything and everyone around us, it’s easy to fall for the idea that we’re not valuable for simply existing. Suddenly we start believing that we need to “perform” in order to be worthy.

But don’t all animals perform? All animals around us work tirelessly every single day (well, maybe not my Ragdoll cats, but they work tirelessly on looking adorable instead). Our innate abilities to be creative, achieve, plan, learn and explore are all part of us. Everything that makes you worthy is already inside of you. You were literally born with it. It’s the idea that we have to prove ourselves to others, perform in ways we weren’t meant to or become something else that disturbs the order.

I have many times related our authenticity to a flower blooming: “a flower never compares itself to the flower next to it, it just blooms”. A bluebell that tries to become a buttercup will only become a half-good bluebell.

I believe I need to mention that I don’t think there’s anything wrong with changing or evolving, quite the opposite. As long as it makes you more healthy and joyful and doesn’t affect the lives around you in a negative way, it’s in the highest good of all for you to pursue that. Rather, I'm talking about changing ourselves in a way that doesn't feel comfortable in our bodies.

Back to the idea of connection, I believe that when we notice how we’re part of nature as much as nature is part of us, we stop looking so much in unnatural directions to feel valuable. Because there’s nothing there, only false praise and a shallow sense of achievement. We may not have chosen this body with the mind we have today. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t experience the ultimate sense of fulfillment by recognizing what this body and mind need in order to thrive and be happy. 

If we believe that nature is meant to thrive, we also believe that we’re meant to thrive too. This could be in ways that may or may not soothe our ego. But once we find ways to experience, learn and evolve in our own individual ways, we stop caring so much about it. Because there’s a deep knowing inside all of us that knows when we’re on the right path that’s more powerful than the ego.