Dear Andi, A Love Letter

Dear Andi,

This letter recognizes the journey you’ve been on. A journey of self-love, self-discovery, self-acceptance. With your journeys, you’ve learned to count your blessings, embrace life and value yourself as a person.

Loving and accepting yourself doesn’t always come easily. Yes, certain days it feels very natural to wake up and be cheerful and positive but times come when you are ruled by voices in your head. Girlfriend, you need to stop that. Instead of being ruled by these negative, discouraging voices, be ruled by peace. Be ruled by grace. 

 Sometimes anguish comes from your own hypothesis that other people’s hypothetical hypotheses about you matter. It doesn’t! Its’s way too easy to overanalyze what other people think about you, and in turn, you end up feeding into the negativity. Wouldn’t it be easier to just not worry what other people think about you/say about you/feel about you? For all you know, they are saying absolutely wonderful things about you. Why would you assume the worst?

Your physical “imperfections” make you unique. You have the ability to radiate goodness, joy and kindness; why be held down by fear and insecurity? This post will remind you the difference between shame and grace. 

 If shame say’s I’m defective, grace tells me I’m valuable. Shame’s greatest weapon is the fear of judgment. Grace’s even bigger weapon is the relief of unconditional love. Shame says that because I am flawed, I am unacceptable. Grace says that though I am flawed, I am cherished. Shame claims I must be perfect to earn the approval of others. Grace claims I am accepted regardless of seeming imperfections. 

Recognize the voices of shame and consciously turn them down. Start seeking purposeful, positive, life-building grace.

It’s easy to beat yourself up from past mistakes and please, just stop. Move on. Close that door and move forward. It’s time to start afresh and anew. Don’t live life in the past; it’s time for you to begin. Some of your favorite lyrics: “Today is never too late to be brand new”

When God created you 22-something years ago, He knew what He was doing. Your body was a plan. Every single detail from the top of your head to the tip of your toes was strategically and lovingly placed there. You were KNIT  together (Psalm 139:13) You were not placed on an assembly line or just placed on earth. Stitch by stitch, loop by loop, you were created delicately.  You were created delicately. You are a masterpiece. 

Andi, may you come to terms with who you are and that your body, job, friends, status, location do not define you. May you live your life laughing and loving. May today be the day you stop hiding in shame and start frolicking in grace.  You were made to sparkle, shine, live life. You were created for a purpose; you are FEARFULLY and WONDERFULLY made.

Love, Andi 

>>>I wrote this post in honor of the Stop Self Hate Initiative (#StopSelfHate @StopSelfHate) Thank you for letting me open up and write a Stop Self Hate love letter to myself. It was actually pretty hard to write; to physically write down things that I’m insecure about or worried about. It’s important to have people in your life who speak the truth to you in love and it’s equally important to speak that truth in love TO YOURSELF. I hope you have a beautiful weekend! xo