It was difficult not to get all puffy-chested and ego-stroked when she enthused, "I've done SO many self-development courses and read tons of self-help books and yours is the first thing that's actually helping me get my life on track."
I mean, let's be honest, who doesn't want their work affirmed?
But easy there, Ego. Down girl. I can't take credit for her amazing success.
Only she can.
Because she's done the work. She came for help, she had the courage to see her truth, she took the brave steps to respond in ways she hasn't ever dared to before...
I cheered her on, yes. I gave her some tools, yes. I believed in her, yes.
But it's like when you have to give birth. Everyone can stand around you helping and supporting, but YOU have to get that baby out of you. No-one can do it for you. Even if you have a caesarian, you have to recover and all that.
The work of living your life is yours to do. And she's doing it.
But why did this work for her when all the other stuff didn't?
In my opinion, it comes down to a fundamental thing.
As good and amazing as all the courses and books were...
She's never before given herself permission to exist.
If you don't believe you have the right to be you, if you deny yourself permission to be happy, if you think you aren't allowed to have ease... no self-development will last for long.
It won't work!
How can you take actions to be happy if you believe you're not allowed happiness? Or wealth? Or health?
You'll do it for a while and then you'll sabotage it. Or you won't even try it at all.
But not her.
Her life has been HARD. She has believed all sorts of bad things about herself and her abilities. But now...
She has finally started to understand that who she is, is enough. And that she has permission to be herself. And that her guidance lives within her and when she listens to it she knows where to go next.
As she follows the answers she gets when she asks, "If I loved myself, what would I choose to do now?" her life is magically transforming in surprising and delightful ways.
Her relationships have softened and become more nurturing and real. She is kinder to herself in her mind. Her finances are starting to stabilise. Her health is settling. Her work is becoming more manageable...
Everything you long for comes when you give yourself permission to exist and you follow your answers to the Love Question.
Regardless of how hard your life has been, regardless of what rubbish people told you about yourself, regardless of how proud or ashamed you feel about yourself and your life...
YOU HAVE PERMISSION TO EXIST AS YOU.
You came here to be you.
So do it.
If you loved yourself, how would you give yourself permission to exist now?
