Self Love Selfish?

About 25 Love Letters have found there way to my mailbox since this project got up and running in November 2013.  It brings a smile to my face to see a pile of letters, each full of expressions of love, acknowledgments and gratefulness and for me to have no idea what is actually inside of them other than someone's personal gratitude waiting to be opened in 3 months time.

My modern dance class full of 12 year olds going on 16yrs wrote letters to themselves this week.  They took the task on with excitement and millions of questions, when finally one of them said, "Isn't it selfish to write yourself like this?"  I stalled at this question, and said, "Perhaps, let's find out how we feel when we get them back?"  

What's interesting is that question has been on my mind since Monday. When does the notion become engrained in us that giving ourselves Love is selfish?  At some point we take on the meaning that self directed love is egotistical and self serving and so we do the opposite, we direct all of our love at outside sources and refuse to allow ourselves to truly receive self love..... its mind blowing really!  I've noticed that my biggest life challenge in my late 20's is to accept that I deserve love, that I am deserving of being loved and having great things happen to me.  People have shared over and over how they experience deflecting comments.. Someone says, "That outfit looks great on you" and we respond, "Oh this old thing? It's no big deal."  We are stingy with ourselves, we can be first to give out compliments and acknowledgements and LAST to actually receive them as the gifts that they are that someone is generously endowing us with.  So Vancouver, Stop being so stingy and start accepting that you are brilliant, talented, worthy, loveable and just plain awesome and capable of living an amazing life that you love and that loves you back!

To finish this posting off, my brilliant friend Stephanie has an amazing event coming up called Life and Balance on February 5th, 2014 from 6-9pm at The Orpheum.  It's everything life, energy and health education focused and the proceeds will support Breakfast Club of Canada. Come hear keynote speakers share about living a life that supports you and all of your dreams coming true! Did you know more than 42% of kids go to school without a proper breakfast? Imagine trying to learn on an empty stomach!  Check out her amazing website and event! http://lifeandbalance.ca/

As we complete 2013 write yourself a Love Letter.... Here's How:

Writers Block or Love Block?

A few short weeks ago, I found myself sitting in a Pho restaurant near Main and Kingsway, pen in hand, digging for inspiration to write my monthly Love Letter to myself.  I was stumped.  I sat there saying to myself, "you haven't been up to anything, nothing important has happened, the intentions you created haven't happened, well sort of maybe some of them have happened... oh and that relationship of your dreams that still hasn't happened yet."

Does any of this sound familiar?   Was this tough love or just plain self-deprecation?  So I sat and I waited.  I at least got the, "Dear Meredith," down on the paper, and then things started to hit me, I had brought a little girl back to dance class who had had a breakdown deciding she would never dance again because someone had said something to her that had hurt her feelings and she had related that experience to, "I must never dance again if I'm going to feel like that!"

I had ended an exclusive dating relationship powerfully, fully speaking to my self worth for the first time ever and standing for what I knew I wanted to call into my life and allowing nothing less.  And I had done it with grace, instead of the usual anger, hurt, resentment, yelling, crying and justifications.  I had let someone know how I felt about them with absolutely no guarantee that they may feel the same way back, I had surrendered and for the first time in a long time chosen to let go instead of controlling every single minute action and thought that I and everyone else around me has.

I had also chosen to connect to others and express my gratitude for who they have been to me and who I see them as to the world... that was new and powerful for me too.  It was a whole new level of expression and connection in the world.

Suddenly my letter was filled up and as I looked up from the table, the world seemed that much brighter, more connected and filled with beautiful people and experiences, waiting to be asked, to be engaged with, waiting to happen.
I certainly had an elevated sense of love for myself and for the world.  But mostly, I didn't feel so alone.

I tucked that letter in my bag, smiling at the woman who had in fact been up to a lot in the last 30 days  and thought to myself, what will the next 30 days bring?

An Invitation

Love Letters to Myself is a community project that invites you to write a personal love letter to yourself acknowledging your triumphs, accomplishments & personal growth in the past month. 

Your letter will be collected, unopened & returned back to you 3 months later. You are invited to share your experience of writing or receiving your love letter on our blog: http://loveletterstomyself2.blogspot.ca/

We invite you to partake in this as a monthly practice. By signing up via email you can receive a monthly reminder to write & mail your Love Letter.

Step 1: Write your Love Letter

Step 2: Mail it with a Return Address to:

Love Letters to Myself

3625 West 3rd Ave

Vancouver, B.C. V6M 1R1

Step 3: Submit your email address to receive a monthly reminder to write your letter: loveletterstomyself2@gmail.com

Step 4: Share your experience on our blog: http://loveletterstomyself2.blogspot.ca/

All letters are returned free of charge.