SELF IMAGE: Your thoughts of you matter.

Dear reader,

If you're here, you know that the journey of self-discovery—what we call "The Messy Becoming"—is anything but neat.

We often chase the big idea of self-awareness, but sometimes, the real work starts by looking at the quiet, often-flawed picture we carry of ourselves: our self-image.

Your self-image isn't just a fleeting feeling; it’s the heartfelt story you constantly whisper to yourself about your worth, your capabilities, and your potential. It’s built over a lifetime from snippets of other people's opinions, old hurts, and misinterpreted triumphs.

And here’s the most tender truth: that story is often outdated and far smaller than who you actually are.

How you perceive yourself has such a great impact on your life, actions and the outcome of your actions that even a small negative whisper is enough to completely block your chances of going after the opportunities that make their way to your doorstep.

This inner picture acts as an invisible script that dictates so many of our choices, from the tiny daily decisions to the big life pivots. It's why we sometimes stop ourselves before we even start.

Think about it: every day, your self-image determines:

• The opportunities you allow yourself to see.

• The kind of love you believe you deserve to receive.

• The emotional risks you are (or are not) willing to take.

When we believe, deep down, that "I'm not organized," we passively accept clutter and chaos.

When we cling to "I'm not good under pressure," we turn down chances to lead.

It's not our true self making the call; it's the old, rusty limiting belief baked into our self-image.

Achieving deep self-awareness means we have to bravely, gently, start peeling back the layers of this self-image.

This is the discovery phase, and while it can feel shaky—like stepping out of an old, familiar comfort zone—it’s where the real beauty of becoming begins.

Becoming begins with the courage to heal what the world broke in you without waiting for the world to sooth your scars and re-define your worth.

The craziest thing is that we often know what we need to change, we know what beliefs to break but we never really take the initiative to evolve.

1. The Power of a Loving Pause

The next time a familiar, self-sabotaging impulse arises—maybe the urge to quit, to snap back, or to hide—don't jump to judgment.

Instead, practice a loving pause.

When faced with a situation where your mind first instinct is to back out, don't jump into immediately listening to it. Your mind works to keep you comfortable and safe.

So, STOP, take a moment, breath, and then list all the ways taking the bold step will make your life better.

You might find your anxiety about starting a new project isn't about the work itself, but the self-image belief: "I'm only valuable if I do this perfectly." Recognizing that story is the first, most compassionate step toward rewriting it.

2. Collecting Evidence of Your New Self

Our old self-image is fuelled by emotion and a spotlight on past mistakes.

To create a truer, kinder image, we need to gather evidence of the person we are now.

• Question the Whisper: When that internal voice says, "You always fail when you try to change," don't argue with the emotion—look for the facts.

• Gather the Data: List three recent small wins: sticking to a new boundary, finishing a book, or successfully navigating a tough conversation. You are collecting proof points of your evolving competence and resilience.

This process isn't about forced positivity; it’s about making your self-image reflect your current, dynamic, and complex reality, not just the echoes of old fears and hurts. It's how we move from simply reacting to consciously living. IT'S TIME TO STEP OUT OF THE SHADOWS OF YOUR PAST.

The messy becoming is the commitment to continually showing up for yourself with curiosity and grace.

True self-awareness is the gentle realization that the person you thought you were, isn't set in stone.

By questioning your self-image with an open heart, you release the burden of the past and step into the truer, fuller human you are meant to be—today and every day forward.

Your self image sets the boundaries of your accomplishments

You're stunning, capable, strong and phenomenal regardless of your past mistakes and pain. You were made for more.

However, you have to see yourself as made for more, you have to see yourself as phenomenal, you have to see yourself as revolutionary.

If you're wondering how to start, here's what you're going to do: You're going to take a piece of paper, a notebook, or flip a page in your journal. Then take out a pen (I'd use a fancy one to really get into it) then write down 20 things you can do well. Not perfectly, well. Then proceed to write down one moment that defined your strength for you. Then read this every day for a week. At the end of the week, update your list. Do this as often as you'd like. Make the list as long as you'd like. When a negative thought about you clouds your mind, take out your list. Within no time, you'll begin to realize, you're worth so much more. Then you'll begin to see the same in others. The amount of peace that comes with that is amazing.

Begin to write beautiful things about yourself, not with force, but with grace, not with perfection, but with presence. You don’t need to be flawless to be phenomenal. You just need to be willing.

Willing to see yourself clearly.

Willing to gather evidence of your growth.

Willing to believe that healing is not a detour—it’s the path.

So go ahead.

Reclaim your reflection.

Reframe your worth.

And remember: the most revolutionary thing you can do is to see yourself as already enough.

Love,

Me <3

P.S.: It gets better, and love, the real kind, always wins