It was the first time I didn’t feel beautiful when I was around other people and I preferred to spend time either by myself or with my girlfriends. Although I was somewhat social while I was on that trip, what I remember most was being extremely tired, wanting to do something for myself to feel better, but otherwise wishing I could disappear instead of being invisible. In retrospect, it may have been the feeling of being invisible that impacted me most because I had never felt that way before. I had never been invisible before. In the moment I made a decision to take care of me first, everything else in my life also began to change and I officially started my i-love-me™ journey.
Over the next 6 – 8 months, I lost 50 pounds and began fervently researching the root cause of illness in the human body. I also changed my diet, and began working on my self-esteem. The more I did to make me happy, the stronger my confidence grew. I didn’t realize how unhappy I had been until I noticed that I was laughing more and worrying less. The biggest changes started to occur when my husband and I separated after almost 6 years of marriage. Although we separated under difficult circumstances, we managed to maintain a very loving relationship with each other because we were both able to forgive the other. Neither of us wanted to carry negative feelings into the future or to destroy the foundation of love that originally brought us together.
Whenever anyone asks, I always say that I am grateful for that relationship because it represented the defining moment that formed the foundation for the i-love-me™ collection. I began to understand so much about myself, my relationships with others, and the nature of those closest to me.- I realized that when people “do” something to you, it’s not about you;
it’s about them and where they are in their personal development. How
you react is about you.
- I understood how parents, family members, and friends can stunt your
growth and creativity unintentionally because of where they are in their
own personal development.
- I learned that you cannot control or take responsibility for another
person but you can control and take responsibility for yourself.
- I learned that being able to forgive IS giving unconditional love to
yourself and others.
- I realized that when you have healthy boundaries you don’t feel guilt
or regret when you decline to help someone else or accept responsibility
for their personal challenges.
- I understood that how you treat yourself or allow yourself to be treated
teaches others how to treat you.
- I learned that no matter how hard you try to run away from yourself,
you are always right there beside you.
- I realized that you feel fulfilled and whole when you embrace all of
who you are and recognize the uniqueness that is you.
- I learned that finding joy in all life activities calms your mind.
Through my experiences, I healed my head and my heart to strengthened my spirit or self-esteem. I now feel whole and flourish from the love and happiness I continue to find within myself. It is within my experience that the i-love-me™ collection exists. I quickly realized, however, that my experience is a collective experience of all women that transcends race, ethnicity, social status, and religious beliefs. In the spirit of my life mission to assist others, I am called to share my experience to inspire other women to take the i-love-me™ journey to find and love themselves.
I hope you join me by adding your own story to the i-love-me™ journey. Choose to be loving, happy, yourself, and then you will be free.