Letters from TC: Self-Love

  First I'd like to apologize to you all for the hiatus that I've taken recently.  Life has been hectic, and summer has thrown almost everything at me that you can imagine.  The good news is that right now, I'm OK.  The better news is that I have embarked on a journey to loving myself completely for who I am, and I have much to share that may inspire you to do the same. 

  With the hustle and bustle of life, we can get so caught up in keeping up, that we forget to keep up with ourselves.  The result is loosing yourself, and straying away from your true purpose.  This is detrimental not only for you, but for the people who are counting on you, and the people who believe in you.  Recently, I allowed myself to become so drained from life, that I stopped doing things I love.  Trapped in my own thoughts, I began to laugh and smile less.  I stopped working out, I stopped spending time with friends, and worst of all I stopped wearing the clothes that allow me to express my art and creativity in a way that makes me feel most confident.

  So many different things began to go wrong that I started to ask myself, what's the point?

  After much self-reflection, prayer, and countless conversations with my earthly warriors, (the people who have been here through it all) I came to the realization that if for nothing else, I must continue to take care of myself simply because I love myself.  And just as people fall in and out of love with spouses, it is possible to fall out of love with yourself, which is very dangerous territory to be in.  As I sit here and write this post, it's only right that I let you all know that my garden still isn't as green and free of weeds as I'd like it to be, but the point is that I'm working on it.  I'm getting back to the basics, and trying my best to rediscover what truly makes me happy.  Before I sign off, I will leave you with some tips that have helped me get back on track. 

1. Keep a journal.  

  This is a tip I got from my grandmother.  She explained to me that sometimes too many thoughts can cloud your mind.  So much so, that you don't have space to even sort anything out.  And if you can't sort anything out, you can't let anything go.  As simple as it may seem, writing your thoughts and feelings down can sometimes be the easiest way to work through them. 

2. Get out of the house.

  Sometimes when I'm feeling at my lowest, all I want to do is lock myself in my room and turn my phone off.  It can be more comfortable to cope that way, but it only makes things worse long term.  Keep your mind away from thinking the worst, by spending time with the ones who truly love you and care about your well being.  

3.  Do something you love everyday. 

  Whether it's getting dressed, or giving a full living-room concert in your underwear before you get dressed, do something that makes you feel good.  Do your make-up, even if you are just going to the supermarket, or try out that new DIY that you've been looking at on Pinterest for weeks.  You will thank yourself later. 

4.  Know that you aren't the first, and you won't be the last.

  Everyone has been through something, and no matter what it is, you must believe that you will make it.  You may come out on the other side with a few scars, maybe bruises, but you will be so much stronger than you were before. 

5.  Pick out something different that you love about yourself everyday. 

  Look in the mirror and analyze yourself.  Think about all the things that you are grateful for and focus on those.  Obsess over yourself in the same way that you obsess over that beautiful stranger when they walk into the room.  

  You must love yourself unconditionally first, before you can do anything wholeheartedly.  More pictures of this weeks look along with the details are below.

-TC 

  I managed to keep cool and beat the greenhouse heat with a mesh cotton sweater, and a simple beige linen pant, both of which are thrifted.  My comfy leather sandals are by Mercanti Florentini and were purchased from DSW.  I threw on one of my favorite leather bags along with some gold accent pieces to complete the look, and I was on my way!