Whimsical Watercolors

Elf Esteem–A Whimsical Watercolor

The other day, I was writing a post about self-esteem, and I kept accidentally typing "elf-esteem" instead. So, I started thinking about what elf-esteem would look like, and I thought it might look something like this. I wish you lots of joy and elf-esteem this year. It seems like a great thing to have.

The Power of Kindness

If You Feel Second-Rate Today

Somewhere at some point in your life, someone made you feel second-rate. They tried to make you feel like you weren't one of the cool or special people. Or they tried to make you feel like you were ugly or dumb or unfashionable or uncool or ungodly or lazy or impractical or a drag or… Continue reading If You Feel Second-Rate Today

The Power of Compassion

Bullies and Self-Care

This post is about how to resist bullies and practice self-care in such situations. In order to understand how to do both of these things, let's first imagine how we protect our friends. Sticking Up for Our Friends Imagine a very dear friend that you love a great deal. Now imagine that someone is picking… Continue reading Bullies and Self-Care

The Power of Proper Self-Worth, The Power of Love

What are You Saying to Yourself Today?

The things you say to yourself can empower you to live more fully and beautifully, or they can wilt your spirit. You are the closest person to you, so what you say to yourself really matters. This is how our spirit feels when we say unkind things to ourselves. Here are two things you can… Continue reading What are You Saying to Yourself Today?

The Power of Proper Self-Worth

Becoming Your Own Best Friend

This post explores how you can become your own best friends and gives you some practical suggestions for doing this. It is the third post in a series. In my last two posts, I discussed how to cultivate self-love by thinking of yourself as a child you love  and by speaking to yourself as you would a child… Continue reading Becoming Your Own Best Friend

The Power of Proper Self-Worth

Loving Affirmations and Self-Love

This is a post about using loving affirmations to connect with our True Self or Higher Self. And this post is a part of a series on cultivating self-love. In my last post, I discussed the first way we can cultivate self-love, which is to think of ourselves as a little child.  Just like children… Continue reading Loving Affirmations and Self-Love

The Power of Proper Self-Worth, The Power of Love

Adopting a Loving View of Ourselves

It is possible to adopt a loving view of ourselves. And it is one of the wisest things we can do. The process begins with some self-reflection. For example, consider these questions: How well do you like yourself? Which of the following statements best represents your relationship with yourself? I absolutely love myself. I’m okay,… Continue reading Adopting a Loving View of Ourselves

Handling Painful Emotions/Cultivating Positive Ones, The Power of Courage

Five Reasons You Don’t Have to Worry About What People Think

We worry a lot about what people think of us. We worry what they think about our fashion choices, our looks, the things we say, our level of success, and our particular interests or hobbies. Even the philosopher Heidegger speaks of The They[1]—the amorphous, ambiguous atmosphere of other people’s judgments. We end up living in… Continue reading Five Reasons You Don’t Have to Worry About What People Think

Poetry

Your Magic

Last night I was channeling Shel Silverstein, and I wrote a poem about you and your magic. Remembering our magic is important because we often feel like we are purposeless or insignificant. But the opposite is true. All of us are worthy, capable, connected, and called to adventure. We are worthy we because we possess… Continue reading Your Magic