This was originally posted to There's Beauty in Recovery last week... jump through to the site at the end of the excerpt to read more...

... Because it’s okay if something doesn’t work the first time. It is okay when goals are met with a little obstacle. Our heart blossoms each time we shout to the full moon of our worthiness, of our desire to be alive, of our beating chests ready to take on whatever is next. So I went back to the drawing boards, more like my place of meditation, and sat long and hard about what I needed to feel larger than life and in love with myself. I’ve created a little manifesto of self-love. Something a little easier this time – a stepping stone to all that is good ... [keep reading]

Have you ever failed at something? How did you handle and react to the situation?

[look! those are my words placed beautifully by Liza Rae from There's Beauty in Recovery -- green link on the sidebar]

Could you give up your reflection for a few hours, a day, a week?

My invitation to you -- whether you're healing from an eating disorder, recovering from a broken heart, or feeling like you need to recenter to the glorious being that is within you, you might give this a try...

// a little excerpt //

... I remembered the time I spent not looking in the mirror during my recovery; how much time I had, the freedom I felt, the disregard for the opinions of others. Why did I ever stop? Now when I look in the mirror, I tend to compare myself to others. Rather than being a kind and loving friend, I end up leaching toxic judgment onto those I am comparing myself against. I begin to feel resentment to those that have what my body is lacking. Well of course my body doesn’t resemble theirs – it’s my body!

I wonder how much time I would gain if I didn’t obsess about the small things. I wonder how much time I could find for pleasure if I wasn’t searching for the pain and bad. Would I gain a lot? I think so.

And thus sparked an idea, that turned into a flame, that sprouted a fire.

Here is my invitation – one day a week, try not to look in a mirror or any reflective surface. And here are the whys and hows behind this invitation… [read from the start ...]

Feel free to reach out and share your experience. I will be glad to share mine as well. xxoo

[image of emily friend]