You can’t truly know, love & accept someone else
until you first truly know, accept & love yourself. —————
Just some thoughts I’m having around these days surrounding #ValentinesDay
Knowing who you are, what you believe in, what you like and don’t like, what you accept and don’t accept, what you want and need and what you don’t, what you stand for... and loving everything about you that makes you who you are... takes YEARS of learning and discovering. You grow up thinking you know all there is to know, and you may feel confident about yourself, only to discover later that you have no idea what you’re doing or what you want, and that you’ve only brushed the surface of who you are as a person. You find yourself unhappy - in school or jobs, in friendships and relationships, in your beliefs- because you based it all on what you THOUGHT you knew of life and yourself, instead of actually taking the time to figure it out for real.
We are all made of layers from what the world tells us, what media shows us, what teachers say, what friends say, how are parents raised us, how circumstances have molded us, what fears have kept us from, what we tell ourselves... It is ONLY when we spend time examining each of these areas that we finally begin to reveal what it is that makes us who we are and that shows us what we want and need. And often, this process is something we must do alone - for ourselves and by ourselves.
When all this discovery has been done, it is only then that we are truly free to discover another.
Until then, we are just looking for confirmation and acceptance of ourselves in all those we come into contact with. Not truly loving another, but rather, the pieces of ourselves that we see in another. •
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#love #self #selfdiscovery #personaljourney #selfacceptance #wholeness #thoughts #wisdom #alonetime #aloneNOTlonely #BeautifulLiving #lesliebyrdphotography
Back to work today after some much needed time off. This morning was all about #health & #comfort.
I’ve been ill the past week or so, with what the doctors can only diagnose as #Lymphadentitis (swelling of lymph glands) in the right side of my neck. I’m on a strong round of antibiotics, but this thing has me all flared-up and experiencing night sweats and flu-like symptoms. Ughhh...! So today’s got me #BackOnSchedule, and I just wanted some comfort before seeing any of today’s clients. I had a #MorningCoffee ☕️ , followed by 30-something oz. of B-complex infused Fruit Punch flavored water 💧. That was shared with a round of meds and multi-vitamins, and this easy & delicious #FruitParfait!
Made special for my birthday, this parfait has a delicious mix of #Berries & #Grapes 🍇 , #LoveCrunchGranola, and #AlmondMilkVanillaFlavoredWhippedCream. OhMyGoodness! 😋 #SoGood.
How do you take care of yourself when you are getting back into your #DailyRoutine after some sick-time-off? Tell me in the comments! 😊
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#SelfCare #ChronicIllness #Vegan #VeganFood #VeganBreakfast #VegansOfInstagram #HealthyEating #HealthyLiving #BeautifulLife #ByrdFind #LeslieByrdPhotography
Omgosh, y’all... I am SO RIDICULOUSLY TIRED today, I almost forgot to post this! Call me #exhausted
Nonetheless, I was able to get a little bit of office work done, had time for a chat with my best friend, made time for stretches, and read my morning devotionals. It was one of my #goals last year to get through this book: #SimpleAbundance #SimpleAbundanceADaybookOfComfortAndJoy and now I’m finally doing it!
It must have been meant to be or something, because today’s words seemed to touch base with EXACTLY what I’ve been dealing with lately, which is accepting life as it is now, letting it be, rather than fighting against it. Change can be good, and much needed, but it will happen when it happens. For now, I will learn to accept what already is, and live each moment as it comes. I will accept the process and learn everything I can possibly can along the way.
This morning’s breakfast: Breakfast Blend Coffee with #AlmondMilkCreamer and warmed #FreshFruit topped with #LoveCrunchGranola •
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#BirdFind #ByrdFind #MorningRituals #HealthyEating #VeganBreakfast #Devotionals #Learning #Blessed #Faith #Acceptance #BeautifulLiving #BeautifulLife #lesliebyrdphotography
Okay, y’all. We’re getting into the 2nd week of the New Year, and I’m really thinking about what I want to change in the coming months, and what I want more of. Not really one for making (or keeping) New Year Resolutions, I’m talking more about things I need to focus on or work on more. It’s not an overnight kind of thing; it’s a step-by-step progression.
This past year has brought some good lessons with it. And I’ve had some new challenges and experiences. But mainly it has grown me and strengthened me for whatever comes next.
I’d be a liar if I said that at least some part of me wasn’t incredibly scared and anxious about all that is next on this journey. But I’m going to do my best to just keep moving forward, taking it one moment at a time, allowing my fears to be transformed into faith, hope and excitement!
After all, isn’t life what we make of it...? 😊
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#NewYear #NewYearsThoughts #PositiveVibes #Faithful #BeautifulLife #LeslieByrdPhotos
