More Inspiration

What You Need
To Know Now

'The Mirror' reflects
what is holding you back.

Answer a few simple questions to gain insight.

Begin to Live the
Life You Choose™.
Subscribe to our
newsletter, One, and
receive the first
chapter of The Power
of Oneness FREE!

Connect With Us

Self-Evaluation of Seven Basic Beliefs Underlying Your Perceptions of Life – Part 5 of 7: Commitment to Be Your True Self

Posted on April 23, 2014 by Sandra Brossman

This is the image of clouds in the sky with the words "Yes You Can" written in cloud font.

Welcome to Part 5 of a 7 part series in which you are invited to become aware of the Basic Beliefs Underlying Your Perceptions of Life! Even more importantly, you are offered the opportunity to transform your self-limiting beliefs of separation and fear into self-empowering beliefs of oneness and unconditional love.

Our basic beliefs are the fundamental concepts we have formed about ourselves and the world around us, based on the mental input we have received throughout our lives. They are the underlying thought forms deep within our psyche that support all our views of life. Our basic beliefs have profound impact on the quality of our lives because they are the core of our personal values governing absolutely every perception we choose.

Many of our basic beliefs generate self-limiting thoughts because they are framed within our childhood perspectives, rooted in societal training, and do not reflect our whole self.

This week I invite you to become aware of your beliefs about your COMMITMENT TO BE YOUR TRUE SELF.

“Commitment” is making a conscious choice to genuinely step into life by fully expressing your authentic self. This sounds incredibly simple – “so all I have to do is just be who I am?” The answer is a resounding “YES!” So why do we spend so much time and effort side stepping, withholding, and even avoiding openly contributing our unique gifts and talents with the world? Most likely, it is because we are going in circles with perceptions that are filled with self-judgment. This results in an endless list of paralyzing rationalizations: Perhaps we are saying that we are not good enough, not smart enough, not wealthy enough, not healthy enough, not young enough, and/or not attractive enough to come out into the light and be seen for the unique person we were born to be.

The bottom line is that when we do this, we are making an unconscious decision to wait until we are perfect before we pursue our passions and dreams of what we really want to do with our lives. Demanding that we be perfect is a form of self-attack in which we focus on our flaws. Withholding the expression of our true self is a behavior which causes us pain at every level because we are constantly in a state of contraction.

When we shift our perceptions to focus on our strengths, gifts, talents, and passions, we are focusing on our light within. We can then use our energy to express more of who we ARE, rather than who we ARE NOT. This perspective creates a state of expansion because we are freeing ourselves to live from the core of our inner spiritual truth. When our thoughts, words, and actions are based on our spiritual values, we then begin to attract people, opportunities, and resources that support our mission to share our genuine self with the world.

The following is a Self-Evaluation of Your Beliefs About Your Commitment to be Your True Self. As you scan through the questions, simply ask yourself, “Do I relate to the statements of Separation, or do I relate to the statements of Oneness? The perceptions of separation correspond with fear and lock us into self-defeating behaviors, while the perceptions of oneness resonate with our spiritual truth of unconditional universal love and open us to our greater potential.

It is best to trust your immediate, spontaneous responses to these questions. When we analyze ourselves and deliberate over the answers, we run the risk of falling into the trap of self-judgment rather than pure awareness.

Remember, this evaluation is not an exercise in self-criticism, nor does it involve judgment of others. It is merely a tool to shed the light of self-awareness on the foundation of beliefs upon which we base our view points of life.

BASIC BELIEF #5 – COMMITMENT TO BE YOUR TRUE SELF

Am I committed to sharing the gift of who I am with the world by expressing my true self and my unique talents?

Separation: Holding back on one’s creative potential and true expression of feelings; being emotionally armored; being a perfectionist; judging self harshly.

Oneness: Having the courage to express one’s unique and authentic self; being open and honest; being willing to enthusiastically share the gift of one’s self with the world.

Which statements do I most relate to – Separation or Oneness?

Where does this belief originate? (i.e. parents, family culture, religion)

Is this my own personal truth now that I am an adult?

DO I CHOOSE TO CHANGE THIS BELIEF?

The following are affirmations to transform your perceptions of separation and fear into affirmations of oneness and unconditional love:

Feeling of Separation: I don’t even know who I am.

Affirmation of Oneness: I am an expression of universal light and love.

Feeling of Separation: I don’t know how to express myself.

Affirmation of Oneness: I am spiritually guided to express my true self.

Feeling of Separation: I am afraid to express my real feelings.

Affirmation of Oneness: I am willing to express my genuine self.

Feeling of Separation: My creativity is blocked.

Affirmation of Oneness: I am an open channel for receiving and expressing my divine creative energy.

Feeling of Separation: I am afraid I will fail.

Affirmation of Oneness: I am completely supported by the universe when I express my truth.

Remember: Every single belief that you have stored into your brain is the result of constant repetition that has come from yourself – as well as from others. YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR BELIEFS THROUGH THE PROCESS OF AFFIRMATIONS. It does not matter whether you initially believe your affirmations. Affirmations are a mental stretch moving toward spiritual truth. With enough repetition, you will come to believe your Affirmations of Oneness.

Affirmations help us to develop the habit of consistent, positive self-dialogue. By making a commitment to the ongoing practice of repeating affirmations of self-love, you have the power to transform your self-deprecating beliefs about yourself into self-respecting perceptions that reflect the truth of your Oneness with Spirit and universal love.

Simply stated, making a commitment to express your Genuine Self is your mission in life. No one else in the world has your unique personality, physical structure, brain function, gifts, and talents. Each one of us is a vital piece in the puzzle of the wholeness of humanity. What could be more important?

I welcome any questions or insights you would like to share regarding your self-discovery process as you become conscious of your beliefs about your commitment to being your true self.

Love and Light

Sandra

A portion of this message is an excerpt from the book, The Power of Oneness, Live the Life You Choose. To learn more about how you can align your life with spiritual truth, order the book at http://www.thepowerofoneness.com/products/

Self Evaluation of Seven Basic Beliefs Underlying Your Perceptions of Life – Part 3 of 7: Attitude

Posted on April 8, 2014 by Sandra Brossman

This is the image of a lovely blue sky with clouds with the words "Attitude is Everything" in cloud font

Welcome to Part 3 of a 7 part series in which you are invited to become aware of the basic beliefs underlying your perceptions of life! Even more importantly, you are offered the opportunity to transform your self-limiting beliefs of separation and fear into self-empowering beliefs of oneness and unconditional love.

Many of our basic beliefs generate self-limiting thoughts because they are framed within our childhood perspectives, rooted in societal training, and do not reflect our whole self.

This week I invite you to become aware of your beliefs about your ATITUDE. Your attitude is the lens through which you view everyone and everything in your life. Many people say that if there is divine pre-destination in life, what does it matter what choices we make? The answer is that even though we do not get to humanly choose every situation and circumstance that we encounter in life, the quality of our life journey depends on whatever attitude we choose.

We can choose to be pessimistic and concentrate on everything that is “wrong” in our lives which, given this perspective, is potentially everything. When we make it a habit to anticipate resistance in everything we do, we are very likely to encounter the very difficulties we imagined. In fact, if we choose to primarily focus on our problems, we can be sure our bleak philosophy of life will be consistently validated because we will attract people and situations that resonate with our negative thinking.

We can also choose to manage the infinite number of challenges we encounter with a positive attitude. Scientific studies consistently indicate that our stress levels are a reflection of how we choose to perceive a problem, not the problem within itself. When we are positive, we move out of the polarity of judging ourselves and our situations as “good and bad” and “right or wrong,” and choose, instead, to see every challenge as an opportunity to become more whole. Adopting an optimistic perspective is not a naïve behavior. In fact, it requires a great deal of emotional maturity to see the value of everyone and everything you encounter in life.

The following is a self-evaluation of our beliefs about your attitude. As you scan through the questions, simply ask yourself, “Do I relate to the statements of separation, or do I relate to the statements of oneness? The perceptions of separation correspond with fear and lock us into self-defeating behaviors, while the perceptions of oneness resonate with our spiritual truth of unconditional universal love and open us to our greater potential.

BASIC BELIEF #3 – ATTITUDE

What is my outlook on life in general?

Separation: Having a negative attitude; expecting the worst; viewing life as a difficult “win/lose” competitive event; feeling life has to be hard; a survival attitude.

Oneness: Having a positive attitude rooted in spiritual strength; leaving space for optimistic outcomes; seeing life as a process of learning and growth; viewing life with imagination and enthusiasm.

Which statements do I most relate to – Separation or Oneness?

Where does this belief originate? (i.e. parents, family culture, religion)

Is this my own personal truth now that I am an adult?

DO I CHOOSE TO CHANGE THIS BELIEF?

The following are affirmations to transform your perceptions of separation and fear into affirmations of Oneness and unconditional love:

Feeling of Separation: Life is an endless struggle.

Affirmation of Oneness: I take responsibility for the perceptions I choose and how they affect my life.

Feeling of Separation: It will never work.

Affirmation of Oneness: I am open to success and positive outcomes.

Feeling of Separation: The world is a rotten place.

Affirmation of Oneness: I choose to see divine will and goodness in all things.

Feeling of Separation: I have to fight to get what I want.

Affirmation of Oneness: I choose to experience peace and harmony in my life.

Feeling of Separation: I can’t do it.

Affirmation of Oneness: I choose to believe that anything is possible.

Every single belief that you have stored into your brain is the result of constant repetition that has come from yourself – as well as from others. YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR BELIEFS THROUGH THE PROCESS OF AFFIRMATIONS. It does not matter whether you initially believe your affirmations. Affirmations are a mental stretch moving toward spiritual truth. With enough repetition, you will come to believe your Affirmations of Oneness.

Keep practicing – you are making progress!

I welcome any questions or insights you would like to share regarding your self-discovery process as you become conscious of your beliefs about your attitude.

Love and Light

Sandra

The e-book version, regularly priced at $9.99 is presently being offered for only $1.99.

Self-Evaluation of Seven Basic Beliefs Underlying Your Perceptions of Life – Part 2 of 7: Self-Responsibility

Posted on April 1, 2014 by Sandra Brossman

This is the image of a blue sky with some clouds with the word "responsibility" typed in a cloud-like font.

Welcome to Part 2 of a 7 part series in which you are invited to become aware of the Basic Beliefs Underlying Your Perceptions of Life! Even more importantly, you are offered the opportunity to transform your self-limiting beliefs of separation and fear into self-empowering beliefs of oneness and unconditional love.

Our basic beliefs are the fundamental concepts we have formed about ourselves and the world around us based on the mental input we have received throughout our lives. They are the underlying thought forms deep within our psyche that support all our views of life. Our basic beliefs have a profound impact on the quality of our lives because they are the core of our personal values governing absolutely every perception we choose.

Many of our basic beliefs generate self-limiting thoughts because they are framed within our childhood perspectives, rooted in societal training, and do not reflect our whole self.

This week I invite you to become aware of your beliefs about self-responsibility. Every thought you have and every word you speak is creating the circumstances within your life. Because every thought is an electrical impulse, each of us is like a television station in that we transmit our thoughts by sending out certain frequencies, also known as vibrations. The vibrations of your thoughts magnetize other thoughts on the same frequency, so whatever you send out is what comes back to you. Thoughts of love attract people and circumstances that resonate with love. Thoughts of fear attract people and circumstances that resonate with fear.

When you take responsibility for your own thoughts and how they are creating the quality of your reality, you are no longer beholden to the beliefs and thoughts of others. If you don’t like what you see in your exterior world, you don’t have to wait for the circumstances to change. You have the creative power to change your exterior reality by changing the interior world of your thoughts!

The following is a self-evaluation of your beliefs about self-responsibility. As you scan through the questions, simply ask yourself, “Do I relate to the statements of separation, or do I relate to the statements of oneness? The perceptions of separation correspond with fear and lock us into self-defeating behaviors, while the perceptions of oneness resonate with our spiritual truth of unconditional, universal love and open us to our greater potential.

BASIC BELIEF #2 – SELF-RESPONSIBILITY

Do I believe that my personal reality is a reflection of my thoughts and actions?

Do I believe that I am responsible for choosing perceptions that are in alignment with my spiritual truth?

Separation: Living from the “outside in;” feeling like a victim; using personal energy to react to outer circumstances; blaming others for the circumstances and quality of one’s life; holding other people responsible for one’s happiness and fulfillment.

Oneness: Living from the “inside out;” taking responsibility for the perceptions that create our personal reality; using personal energy to pro-actively create perceptions based on inner spiritual truth; acknowledging challenges in life as spiritual growth opportunities.

Which statements do I most relate to – separation or oneness?

Where does this belief originate? (i.e. parents, family culture, religion)

Is this my own personal truth now that I am an adult?

DO I CHOOSE TO CHANGE THIS BELIEF?

The following are affirmations to transform your perceptions of separation and fear into affirmations of oneness and unconditional love:

Feeling of Separation: I have no control over what happens to me.

Affirmation of Oneness: I take responsibility for the perceptions I choose and how they affect my life.

Feeling of Separation: I cannot survive without someone to take care of me.

Affirmation of Oneness: I am connected to a Higher Power that provides me with the strength and courage I need to support myself.

Feeling of Separation: My parents have ruined my life.

Affirmation of Oneness: I am responsible for the quality of my own life.

Feeling of Separation: Bad things are always happening to me.

Affirmation of Oneness: I choose to see the spiritual messages in all my experience.

Feeling of Separation: People are always trying to control me.

Affirmation of Oneness: I have the power to take charge of my own life.

I welcome any questions or insights you would like to share regarding your self-discovery process as you become conscious of your beliefs about self-responsibility.

Love and Light

Sandra

The e-book version, regularly priced at $9.99 is presently being offered for only $1.99.

Self-Evaluation of Seven Basic Beliefs Underlying Your Perceptions of Life – Part 1 of 7: Self-Worth

Posted on March 25, 2014 by Sandra Brossman

Image of large road sign against a background of blue cloudy sky that says SELF-WORTH

This week we are beginning a 7-part series in which you are invited to become aware of the Basic Beliefs Underlying Your Perceptions of Life. Even more importantly, you are offered the opportunity to transform your self-limiting beliefs of Separation and fear into self-empowering beliefs of Oneness and unconditional love.

Our Basic Beliefs are the fundamental concepts we have formed about ourselves and the world around us, based on the mental input we have received throughout our lives. They are the underlying thought forms deep within our psyche that support all our views of life. Our basic beliefs have a profound impact on the quality of our lives because they are the core of personal values governing absolutely every perception we choose.

Many of our Basic Beliefs generate self-limiting thoughts because they are framed within our childhood perspectives, rooted in societal training, and do not reflect our Whole Self.

The following is a Self-Evaluation of Your Beliefs about Self-Worth. As you scan through the questions, simply ask yourself, “Do I relate to the statements of Separation, or do I relate to the statements of Oneness? The perceptions of separation correspond with fear and lock us into self-defeating behaviors, while the perceptions of Oneness resonate with our spiritual truth of unconditional, universal love and open us to our greater potential.

BASIC BELIEF #1 – SELF-WORTH

Do I love myself?

Do I believe that I deserve to be loved, healthy, happy, and successful?

Separation: Feeling a sense of non-entitlement to the blessings of life; compulsively reacting to external demands; not acknowledging the need to recharge; looking to others for approval and validation; feeling responsible for the happiness of others.

Oneness: Realizing that unconditional love begins with self; feeling worthy of life’s blessings; treating oneself with compassion and kindness; being open to receiving the loving energy of the universe; taking the time to go inside of self for spiritual regeneration.

Which statements do I most relate to – Separation or Oneness?

Where does this belief originate? (I.e. parents, family culture, religion)

Is this my own personal truth now that I am an adult?

DO I CHOOSE TO CHANGE THIS BELIEF?

The following are affirmations to transform your perceptions of separation and fear into affirmations of Oneness and unconditional love:

Feeling of Separation: I feel unloved.
Affirmation of Oneness: I deeply and completely love and accept my unique self.

Feeling of Separation: I give much more than I receive
Affirmation of Oneness: As I give, I receive the unlimited, loving energy of the Universe

Feeling of Separation: I feel like I am a bad person.
Affirmation of Oneness: I choose to be compassionate and forgiving with myself and others.

Feeling of Separation: I don’t deserve to experience happiness
Affirmation of Oneness: I am worthy of all life’s blessings

Feeling of Separation: I don’t have the time to take care of myself
Affirmation of Oneness: I choose to create the time and space to nurture and regenerate myself.

I welcome any questions or insights you would like to share regarding your self-discovery process as you become conscious of your beliefs about self-worth.

Love and Light

Sandra

The e-book version, regularly priced at $9.99 is presently being offered for only $1.99.

Remaining Centered During the Holidays

Posted on December 3, 2013 by Sandra Brossman

Now that Thanksgiving has just passed, most of us are feeling the accelerated pace of the world around us as we enter the official holiday season. It is very easy to become overwhelmed with shopping, visiting family and friends, preparing large family meals, attending special holiday performances, and traveling. This is the time of year where all the intense activity, in addition to the emotional highs and lows that accompany the holidays, can really take a toll on our health – mentally, emotionally, and physically.

In order to truly enjoy the holidays, it is essential to take time to regenerate yourself and to keep your energy balanced. The following are some ways to remain centered in the midst of all the hustle and bustle:

1. Stay in touch with your feelings – It is so easy to get carried away with all the outer stimulation that you can lose perspective on the signals you are getting from your mind and body. Periodically check in with your feelings and honor your needs. For example, if you feel tired, rest; if you feel overwhelmed, slow down the pace; if you feel sad, allow yourself to express your true feelings.

2. Determine what matters most to you – Quite often, we are so busy reacting to the demands of the holidays that we lose sight of what we most want to experience. Write down a list of the people whom you most want to see and the activities that you enjoy the most and make them a priority. You may discover that there are quite a few activities that had already been scheduled that you actually prefer not to have on your list.

3. Have reasonable expectations – The main reason that people become discouraged and disappointed with the holidays is that they have unrealistic expectations that are not met. Thinking that every member of your family is going to get along at the family reunion, that you are going to cook a perfect meal that pleases everyone, and that you are going to be on an emotional high throughout the holidays is bound to create disappointment.

4. Focus on the simple pleasures – The most fulfilling experiences frequently do not cost a lot of money. Taking a walk with a friend or relative, making cookies with children, playing games, reading by the fireside, and volunteering at a local charity are but a few of the experiences that nurture the heart with little or no demand on the pocketbook.

5. Express gratitude – Being thankful opens your heart and creates the opportunities to being in the flow and to savoring the positive within everyone and everything that you are experiencing, however it unfolds. Accept that every holiday is different and perfect in its own way.

6. Breathe, breathe, breathe – We all have a tendency to “hold our breath” when we are busy and under stress. Simply creating frequent times throughout the day to take some deep breaths is a great way to diffuse stress.

Most importantly, the true meaning of the holiday season is to remember our heart connection with others through the power of love. By being kind to yourself and honoring your own needs, you create a balanced foundation from which to share your love with others in a peaceful way.

Love and Light,

Sandra

From Clutter to Clarity

Posted on March 24, 2013 by Sandra Brossman

This is an image of a clear deck overlooking green grass and a clear blue sky

Time to spring clean our lives?

Happy spring! This is the time of year when nature demonstrates the miracle of regeneration and renewal. The days are brighter and longer, and we begin to see new growth everywhere as brown grass turns green, bare trees regain their leaves, and flowers push through the soil and blossom. Sensing the invigorating energy of spring reminds many of us of the need to revitalize our personal environment. It may very well be the time to do some spring cleaning within our lives!

About two years ago I made a conscious commitment to simplify my life and decided to do a major downsize of all my material possessions. I had thought about it for many years, but I knew the time had come to move past feeling overwhelmed and take action. I was actually feeling physically bogged down by all the stuff that had accumulated during the 23 years my husband and I lived in our home. Our house was clean and organized, but I constantly had the cumbersome awareness that we had too much of everything. While I knew that de-cluttering and downsizing would involve a lot of time and energy, I had no idea what an enormous impact this project would have on my life; emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually.

The process of de-cluttering, downsizing, and simplifying my life was such a life transforming experience that I would like to share with you some of the many things I learned in the process. Hopefully, my recount of this experience will inspire you to stop procrastinating and take action on that long overdue decision to move out of clutter and into clarity.

Consciously surround yourself with things

that make you feel good.

Emotionally: I came to realize that clearing space can help to heal emotions. Material things actually hold energy of past memories and events. Sorting through your things is the ideal time to acknowledge the many emotions that are associated with the material objects surrounding you. I found that allowing myself to feel the nostalgia was very healing and allowed me the choice to let go of the past and become more available to the present moment. Downsizing and de-cluttering affords you the opportunity to consciously decide to surround yourself with things that make you feel good. I also discovered that sorting through my “stuff” was a very special time to express profound gratitude for everything and anything. I realized that both the positive and negative experiences helped to make me who I am. Then there was the wonderful quality of generosity in donating and sharing items that I no longer wanted or needed. Words cannot describe the joy I felt in asking my children to choose what was special to them; driving around and dropping off items at homeless shelters; and donating furniture, blankets, clothes, bedding, and towels to veterans organizations, animal shelters, and thrift shops.

Mentally: I became aware that we need to clear our minds, as well as our physical surroundings, in order to be peaceful. Though we tend to associate clutter with material things, we live in a world where our minds are immersed in an endless sea of communication overload: emails, voicemails, text messages, faxes, computer games, and the list goes on and on. It feels like everywhere we turn, we are inundated with information, requests for an immediate response, and overall mental stimulation. I decided to create some time every day, away from technology, to be with nature; or, at the very least, to sanction an hour each day to be in a peaceful, quiet space where I can simply take some deep breaths and clear my head.

Physically: I became aware that it was much more relaxing to be in a room with “less stuff.” The things that I had chosen to take with me to my new home were only the things that I either liked, needed, or wanted. When I sorted through my belongings, I asked myself three questions:

1. Do I need this?

2. Do I like this?

3. Have I used or looked at this within the past two years?

If the answer to any one of these questions was, “no,” I knew I was kidding myself about needing to hold onto it. I also came to realize just how temporary situations in life tend to be. Sorting through massive amounts of paperwork was a particularly poignant example of this. Many papers that at one time contained important information had become obsolete. If also felt good to get these papers out of my personal space and back into the mainstream through the process of recycling.

Getting rid of clutter frees the soul.

Spiritually: I discovered that getting rid of clutter frees the soul. Clearing your physical space actually brings in more light and opens you to a whole new world of possibilities. Whether we are aware of it or not, it takes a lot of time and energy to maintain, look at, use, move around, and store “our stuff.” Freeing up this energy creates a void. Since the nature of life is to fill voids, open space is the optimal environment in which to be creative. Without so many visual distractions, we can look at life from a new point of view. It is literally easier to breathe in a clear, uncluttered environment.

While I have shared all the positive aspects of de-cluttering my life, I must, in full disclosure, share that this process of downsizing and moving was one of the most physically demanding projects I have ever tackled. It was a huge undertaking because I chose to truly downsize (I donated, recycled, or trashed about 2/3 of my physical belongings) to move to a smaller, more manageable home. Even the enormity of the project proved to be a spiritual lesson because I realized the power of teamwork and cooperation. Many of my friends and family members pitched in to give me tremendous assistance. Note: Do NOT attempt to downsize by yourself!

That being said, deciding to downsize and de-clutter my life is proving to be one of the most healthy choices I have ever made. Because I don’t have to clean, maintain, and deal with so many things, I have more time to spend with friends and to do things I enjoy. I feel more healthy, more creative, and free. Most importantly, when I wake up in the morning, I no longer feel that awful cloud above my head reminding me to clean up my life. I have finally honored my commitment to myself to “lighten up.” Like spring, I am in the cycle of regeneration and renewal.

Love and Light,

Sandra

Self Love – The Basis for All Healing

Posted on March 5, 2013 by Sandra Brossman

This is an image of block letters that spell out LOVE YOURSELF

You can only unconditionally love and accept others by first unconditionally loving and accepting yourself.

“You can only unconditionally love and accept others by first unconditionally loving and accepting yourself.” When I first heard this statement many years ago, I was sitting in my first holistic health class in which we were discussing the fundamental principles underlying spiritual healing. At that time, the words sounded strange to my logical mind, yet somehow resonated at a heart level. I was in my early twenties when I took this course and recall perceiving that I found it easy to love a lot of people, no matter how I felt about myself. I prided myself in thinking that I had spent a good part of my life helping others.

I had not thought that much about loving MYSELF.

Yet, this statement really opened my mind to the awareness that, up until that point, I had not thought that much about loving MYSELF. I was raised in a strong Germanic culture, and my parents had taught me to always put other people’s needs ahead of my own. Helping others was the first priority. Secondary to that was having a strong work ethic. “Fun” was something you had if there was any time after all your work was finished! I don’t recall any key figures in my childhood, or for that matter anyone up until that moment in class, ever mentioning the importance of loving and enjoying myself. In fact, in those days I was taught that it was downright selfish to put my personal needs and desires ahead of the physical and emotional needs of other people.

I was a “good” person when I put other people first.

My parents meant well – they were simply passing the emotional hand-me-down given to them from their parents. While their intentions were kind and honest, what I did not realize until that point, was that I had subconsciously incorporated these messages into a belief system that was based on the foundation that I was a “good” person when I put other people’s needs ahead of my own. I was a “selfish” person when I focused on addressing my own mental, emotional, and physical needs.

I thought I could fix other people.

As I committed myself to understanding the necessity of self love at a deeper level, the memories began to surface. I started to recognize that as I grew into a young adult, this belief system had mushroomed into my creating many painful memories and melodramas with the common theme of me playing the savior role. I was living under the illusion that I could fix situations for other people. Not surprisingly, I constantly attracted people who wanted me to “save” them or complete them. What I did not realize was that I was seeing a reflection of what I most needed to recognize within myself: I also wanted to be completed through others by wanting them to validate me for my savior role. This awareness opened the door to a crucial turn around in my life.

Self love is at the root of all spiritual healing.

Most people whom I have met in life have not been taught self love; they have learned it through the life experiences they have created. Self love, after all, is at the root of all issues of spiritual healing. Through my own life experiences, I came to fully understand that what I heard in class that day really was true. We have to first love ourselves in order to unconditionally love another.

Love and Light,

Sandy