It’s no secret that self love is difficult.  In a society where we are conditioned to keep up with the pace of others, it’s sometimes difficult to go at your own pace.  It’s not until we go at our own pace that we even know what self love means.  What actually makes you happy? Not what you think makes you happy, but what actions, kind of environments, or people make you feel comforted and at ease?  I recently went to a restorative yoga class.  Typically, yoga is about pressing against the Earth to hold different poses in various positions.  Restorative is different.  Instead of pressing into the Earth, the Earth is pressing into you.  You lie down and use poses which allow gravity to do the stretching for you.  Through consciously steady breath work, the stretch deepens and you begin to feel a calm surrender.  This provides a unique opportunity for growth.  The surrender leads to vulnerability, which exposes the doubt inside your mind.  This doubt can only be countered through embodying your core desires, and holding yourself completely responsible for whatever state your life is in.  Only then can you love yourself enough to go at your own pace and walk on your own path.  I want to feel fulfillment.  I want to experience freedom and  I want to embody love.  I want to be respected for staying aligned with my true self.  Finally, I want to claim full responsibility for my life.  But it’s hard.  It requires consistency.  Most of all, it requires resiliency.  When I fall, I will get back up; I will be stronger and smarter.  I recognize that I will never stop failing, as long as I strive for success.

All of that consistency and resiliency  takes a lot out of a person.  What is the point of growth if you don’t enjoy the new level that you’ve reached?  Life is also a balance.  Pleasure and pain.  Give and take.  Light and dark.  I think that’s where fulfillment comes into play.  Fulfillment is the overwhelming sensation of ecstatic joy that comes from consciously working towards something that you love.  Once you claim the reigns of your life, and put in the elbow grease necessary for lasting change, celebrate the fruits of your labor!  Love yourself in whatever way you need.  If life isn’t enjoyable, then what’s the point?