Self Love

Every February we celebrate love through Love Stories, here is one from one of my favorite couples!

Susan & Tracy Love Story - Emerald Coast Paranormal Concepts
**Shall I share my love story with you?** It’s a love so deep, so personal, so innocent, and so pure that my heart nearly bursts with the telling. Even now, I wonder if words can do it justice.
 
Over twenty years ago, a man walked into my life when I least expected it—and, if I’m honest, I wasn’t ready for love. I remember thinking, “Why now? Why him?” I had built walls around my heart, convinced I was safer alone. The idea of letting someone in again felt both thrilling and terrifying.
 
Yet, there was something about him I couldn’t ignore. We were both drawn to each other, but caution held us back. I wondered if he felt the same fear I did—afraid to risk another heartbreak. Still, every time he entered the room, I couldn’t help but notice him. My heart did a flip flop, and I tried to ignore the flutter, telling myself, “Don’t get carried away. You’ve been hurt before.”
 
He was tall and mysterious, with green eyes and jet-black hair. His southern drawl and intense stare made it impossible to look away. Like one of  those guys in a romance novel I caught myself thinking, “Is it reckless to feel this way so soon?” His pure determination made me pause and reconsider. Was I ready to let someone in again? The question lingered in my mind, even as I found myself drawn closer to him.
 
As days passed, our conversations grew deeper. I noticed the way he listened—really listened—to what I said. The way he smiled when I laughed, the gentle teasing that made me feel seen. Hope flickered inside me, daring me to believe this could be different. I started to let my guard down, little by little, wondering, “Could this be the beginning of something real?”
 
I still shiver at the memory of our first kiss. Even now, the memory sends a chill to my core. I remember the gentle brush of his lips, the way my breath caught, and the world faded until only the two of us remained. In that moment, I knew this was right. I knew I had found my soul mate.
All our love,
Susan  & Tracy

Self Love

Self love isn’t about how highly others think or feel about you. It what and how you feel about yourself.

Self-love is an ongoing practice of prioritizing your own well-being, which involves accepting you in an ever changing inner world. Treating yourself with kindness and respect, setting healthy boundaries, rather than sacrificing your needs for others. Knowing and understanding your worth, your value.

This helps to boost your confidence, enhance overall wellbeing, and improves relationships by allowing you to better understand and value your own insights and strengths.

Let’s break some habits and create some new habits around how you love yourself. 

Are you a people pleaser?

I used to be a people pleaser.

I am not a people pleaser anymore. 

Once I realized that’s what I was doing, I stopped. Full stop. I became a different person by releasing that burden. It was so freeing and empowering. 

I had hints that I was a people pleaser for a while, it took a while for me to realize what I was doing until I was so exhausted with my life. I decided to make changes with how I interacted with people and started setting up boundaries. When I caught myself letting the boundaries slip, I reinforced the boundaries to take care of myself. Self-Care is very important to love self. 

Understand being a people pleaser is something you might have learned as a child. Depending how old you are and if you are still a people pleaser, be patient with yourself as you break that habit.  

First it doesn’t matter what other people think or feel about you. For Real! Who are they anyway? Why do you allow them to influence you, give them power over you?

What matters is what you think and feel about yourself.  So . . . how do you feel about you? 

How do you talk to and treat yourself? 

Do you need the approval of others?

Have you been loved up, ignored, loved bombed, ignored . . .  emotionally, mentally and or physically abused? 

Do you judge or compare yourself to others? 

If you have, let’s give you something to think about. Let me help you release those burdens, to heal your heart, bring you back to a place of love. 

Love positively impacts mental and emotional health by reducing stress, anxiety, and depression through the release of beneficial brain chemicals, dopamine and oxytocin, the love cocktail! Love brings purpose and support of self. Raise your resonance, by loving self, first. 

Everything you want and desire is within you. Don’t look outside of yourself for love or approval, it is within you. 

What is approval? The belief that something or someone is good or acceptable. Seeking approval of others is exhausting. You don’t need approval from outside of yourself. It is a waste of your energy. Don’t waste your energy. Your energy is precious, it is yours.

Being hard on yourself for not being the person others want you to be is nonsense and a waste of your energy.  When you decide to be yourself, you will see your life becomes easier, you are not carrying all those expectations around with you. Expectations are burdens. You are able to focus on yourself, creating a life you love. Choose you first. 

Expectation brings disappointment. If someone is disappointed because you do not comply, that is on them. Not you. It is a lesson we all learn. 

Self-Love is knowing yourself, who you are and what you like, want and desire. It will of course change, but when you love yourself, you feel secure in your life. Choose love. 

Have a beautiful week! Stay safe! Remember to keep your heart open and aligned with the energy of LOVE!
​
Auriel Grace