DAY 1 OF FINDING MYSELF.......

For Christmas a couple years back my Aunt got me a book called Life lessons for women. Its basically chapters on reconnecting with yourself and who you are... So instead of pouring out my usual sappy, romantic, kind of pathetic hold on a love life that doesn't exist I thought I would share these steps with you. I will Journal my entries each day and hopefully improve with each blog... but if you know me I can sometimes hold myself back but new year, new thoughts, new me!!!

Chapter 1 Re-Collect yourself

K their are quotes like these the beginning of each lesson...

Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in the world. by Lucille Ball

Pre lesson- the first little sections talks about learning to love yourself, that you sometimes have to not depend on other people to tell your beautiful or notice you for all your give. The activity was to right yourself a love letter... this one was really hard for me in fact when I first got this book, this part made me put the book down, cause I couldn't pass this section. So I am gonna give it a try again... here it goes!!

Dear Lisa,
I know that life seems tough, but what I can promise you is that their is no one on this earth that loves you more then me, I will always stand beside you, encourage you, and never abandon you! Your an amazing mother, you love your children with all that you have inside you, proof is in the way I see them look at you every night when you tuck them into bed. No one can love you the way those three angels do, and they always will love you Lisa, embrace that everyday. I look in your eyes and see the beauty that you cannot see when your sad and alone but your in there just waiting to burst out and make your appearance just believe and you will see it too. I am inspired by your courage, love and hope for passion and the happily ever afters, hold on to that even when it hurts, they are good traits. I love the girl who makes up her own words, dances in the living room when no one is home, sings in the car like she's a rock star, clumsy as hell and dangerous in the kitchen and cares more about everyone else then she does herself... when you think about it, its inspiring really. I know your soul has been broken but with each breath we take together, we will heal, we will grow and we will live life for us. Your an amazing, caring women with so much to give from your heart. Love will find us again, until then you have all you need right here inside your heart.

Love,
Your Soul

So Lesson #1

Take stalk in your life... It says to love oneself is like building a life long romance that cannot be broken... To build you and a life you love, it says the first step is to take a look at how you got to where you are and the connecting thread that holds all the pieces together. The book says to look back at your accomplishments, passions and priorities. Review what truly matters and what has made you who you are....

Activity: Answer the following questions...

What do you love?
I love my kids, photography, my family, my friends.

What are your core beliefs and values?
My beliefs are the fairytale... in love and relationships,
My values are strong family connections, honesty, trust, communication
being a good person and teaching my children to be good people

How do I create a life that fits who I am now, not who I have been?
I am not sure on this one because for I have been trying to fit my life into a page of my past believing that giving your heart and soul to someone and not giving up on them or love is what life was about. Now I am not sure who I am now or what my life i suppose to be, but ready for the journey of self discovery and learning to love myself and the life I deserve.

Lesson #2 Recognize your strengths

This one says that you can not put your focus on your flaws or shortcomings (totally me) you have to recognize our strengths and talents and positive qualities and realize the everyone you loved, every mistake you made, everything you have done, every obstacle you have overcome is part of the women you are today. Its says that I have to love myself in a whole and appreciate and love all of me and stop robbing myself of my best days dwelling on my worst.

Activity:

What are three things I have accomplished in my life that I'm proud of?

My Childhood
Graduating from High School
My Children


What are five of my strengths, talents and positive qualities? (it says I have them but It took me a long time just to come up with these...)

Being a good mom
photography
giver
strength
survivor


How do I use my gifts and strengths in everyday life?

I take care of my children, with all that I have good or bad... I give them all I have.

Starting school for photography, doing shoots on the side to practice

Continue to give what I can to friends and family to help strengthen those relationships.

I use the strength i have in me everyday to get up every morning and continue on with life, even when I can't see the light.

Through all rough patches I have survived, I thing that is a strength for me


Are there ways in which I could make better use of my resources?

I tend to forget that I have these qualities and focus on the negative parts of my life, I could try to remember every morning that I do have these qualities and that they make up who i am and use them to better my daily attitude.

So that is the first two lessons wow that was hard especially the pre lesson, I wrote, cried, rewrote and finally just kept what i had.... I really had to take a look into myself, really dig, for me I don't see myself and to find things I see are strengths was really hard but this is all about learning, finding and loving yourself so I guess I am on the right road, hope you keep with me on my journey.... Tomorrow lesson 3