Developing a Relationship with Self.
How often do we truly reflect on the relationship we have with ourselves? How often do we stop and ask: How am I showing up for me? Am I truly loving myself?
Being human isn’t always easy. Life can be messy, painful, overwhelming, and confusing. Many of us spend our days doing- serving others, meeting expectations, people pleasing-often with little awareness of our own emotional state. We may find ourselves stuck in cycles of burnout, constantly running on empty, wondering why we feel lost, disconnected, or alone.
Maybe it's time to pause. To stop and shift the trajectory.
What if, instead of continuing to abandon ourselves for the sake of others’, we chose to focus deeply on how we show up for us? What if loving ourselves became a conscious, daily practice? A complete Devotion to self?
We've heard it before- you can’t pour from an empty cup- but how often do we actually live by that wisdom? Too often, we’re running on or close to empty, giving to everyone else while neglecting the one person who needs our attention the most: ourselves.
From Happiness to Peace
We’re often told to chase happiness, but what if the constant pursuit is actually part of the problem? I recently heard a Buddhist Monk say that instead of striving for happiness, we should focus on cultivating peace. That struck a chord. Peace feels less like a destination and more like a state of being- something we can nurture and cultivate through intention and presence.
And I believe that peace begins with the relationship we have with ourselves.
The Foundation of Self-Love
Loving ourselves isn't something that magically happens. It’s not a fixed trait you either have or don’t. Like any meaningful relationship, it requires time, energy, and deep care. It’s something we build, slowly and intentionally, over time.
Imagine your relationship with self like a garden. You can’t plant seeds and expect blossoms the next day. You have to tend to the soil, water the roots, prune the weeds. You have to keep showing up throughout each season. And when you do, the garden eventually blooms.
When we neglect ourselves, the relationship weakens. We drift into disconnection, and that disconnection breeds confusion. We forget who we are, what we love, what lights us up.
Have we ever really been given the space to discover our true nature? To explore what ignites our joy? To ask ourselves: What do I actually want? Who am I beneath all of the roles I play?How do I want to show up in the world?
The Daily Practice of Showing Up
Self-love requires commitment. It asks us to carve out moments each day- however small- to reconnect with ourselves. This may look like journaling, walking in nature, meditating, or simply saying “no” to something that drains us.
A relationship with self-starts with awareness. Becoming conscious of our patterns, our thoughts, our internal landscape. It means noticing when we slip into putting others needs before our own, or when our boundaries get blurry.
And speaking of boundaries- do we have them? Do we Respect them? Are they strong enough to support the space we need to truly nourish our self?
Consider these Journal prompts-
• What boundaries do I currently have in my life and where do I need to make changes?
• How can I begin to show up for myself forging a deeper relationship to self?
• What’s one small act of love you can do today that will nourish and bring peace?
When we can begin to forge an intentional relationship with ourselves, everything changes. Self-love emerges not from grand gestures, but from quiet, consistent care. From making space for who we are, again and again.
Abundant Love,
Georgie x
