What did I learn today? Lessons on the Journey to Unconditional Self Love

Affirmation: I give myself permission to grow, even when it’s uncomfortable. I trust the process, honor my pace, and welcome curiosity as my guide. I am allowed to begin again.    Are we willing to give ourselves permission to do a new thing? Not the kind of permission that comes with guarantees or applause. But the quiet, trembling kind. The kind that whispers, “go ahead and do it,” even when the outcome is uncertain. The kind that invites curiosity, even when clarity hasn’t arrived. To give ourselves permission, we must first look at what we’re holding on to. What beliefs have become our safety nets, our shields, our stories? Maybe it’s the belief that we must always be seen to be worthy. Maybe it’s the belief that keeping the peace is more important than speaking our truth. Maybe it’s the belief that mistakes are failures, not teachers. I want to give myself permission to let go of needing to be seen. To let go of the role of peacekeeper when peace costs my presence. To mak...

Affirmation: I honor the ache and the effort. I trust the timing. I release what is not mine to carry. What is for me will not pass me by—and I meet it with grace, not grasping. Have you ever wanted something so deeply it felt like your whole being was leaning into it? Like you could taste it, touch it, see it solving everything that felt heavy and uncertain? I had that moment today. This consultancy job—I wanted it with all my heart. In my mind, it was the answer to the financial strain I’ve been carrying, the quiet erosion of confidence I hadn’t even realized had taken root. It would pay off debts, restore some ease, remind me of who I am when I’m standing tall. And yet, everywhere I turned, there were blocks. First the references. Then the health insurance. Then another thing. And another. Today, the final delay came—the insurance was taking longer than expected, and time was running out. And something shifted. In the past, I would’ve gone straight into solution mode. Who has time t...

Affirmation: I learn, I share, I rise—with my sisters, for my sisters.  I was invited to join the Global Me Too Movement in crafting a manifesto for Latin America and the Caribbean—one that centers survivors, demands justice, and imagines healing as both personal and political. We gathered in a circle of fierce tenderness, where truth was spoken, held, and honored. To be part of this global moment—as the quiet one, the motif-maker, the dreamer of Nina-sized visions—was nothing short of miraculous. I showed up real, and real met me back. The pride and gratitude I felt were unmatched. It’s still sinking in. But what moved me most was the camaraderie. The way we laughed, cried, translated across languages and lived experiences. I learned so much about Latin America’s passionate feminist principles—rooted in resistance, joy, and unwavering solidarity. These women, these grassroots organizations, continue to show up for their sisters with grit and grace, demanding justice and building s...

Affirmation:   I honor the storm and the stillness. I choose presence over resistance, and trust the pivot. I have been in Mexico for the past few days. It has been eye-opening. Not just for the beauty of the place, but for the depth of the gathering. I’m here among comrades of the cause—women who speak the same language of justice, healing, and fierce love. The room is full of those working to end gender-based and sexual violence, to support migrant women, girls in State care, and to dismantle inequality in all its forms . There’s something sacred about being in a space where your truth doesn’t need translation. We’ve spent days exchanging ideas, building trust, and practicing self-care—which, let’s be honest, is the heartbeat of this movement. Without it, we burn out. With it, we rise. Today, we were meant to convene on the beach. A meeting with the ocean as witness. But as we got ready, the storm came—thunder, lightning, the whole dramatic symphony. Talk about a pivot? We had no...

Affirmation:  Obedience to the Most High's guidance is a form of trust Each month, I begin with an intention—a quiet compass I carry with me through the month. It’s not a resolution or a checklist, but a reminder of what I’m choosing to root into. This November, my intention is to deepen my relationship with the Most High. To listen more closely. To trust more fully. And most of all, to cultivate the courage to be obedient to the guidance I receive. I’ve noticed a pattern in myself: the guidance often comes clearly. A nudge. A knowing. A quiet instruction. And yet, I stall. I rationalize. I ask for proof. I want certainty that the outcome will match my expectations, that the leap will land exactly where I want it to. But guidance rarely works that way. It’s not a transaction—it’s a trust walk. This month, I’m choosing to follow the guidance. Even when it stretches me. Even when it asks me to leave the comfort of what’s familiar. Even when I don’t know how it will all unfold. I’m ch...

  Affirmation: I honour my balance, my breath, my becoming. I was scrolling through Instagram the other day—half curious, half distracted—when a post by The Q School stopped me in my tracks. It said: “People pleasing is controlling. Micromanaging is controlling. Being a workaholic is controlling. Constant dieting is controlling.” Hmmm. I paused. Let it land. Because society rewards us for all of those things, doesn’t it? For being “nice.” For being thin. For working hard. For being meticulous. We get applause for the very habits that, when out of balance, become cages. And here we are. Anything out of balance will fall down eventually. That’s not judgment—it’s gravity. After sitting with it, I realized why it resonated so deeply. Control, in many forms, is a kind of self-protection. It’s the armor we learned to wear early—some of us before we even had words. Depending on our histories, our cultures, our families, we learned to stay safe by staying in control. And over time, that a...