2013 Part 2

Happy July.  And with that turn of the calendar page we’re half way through the year.  Aren’t you amazed by that?

I like to name things.  To call out the essence of things, to invite in energy, to celebrate, to help me remember – there are all kinds of reasons.  But whatever the reason, it’s most certainly a way to make connections more tangible.  

I’ve already told you I’m calling this the Summer of Bubble Experiments.   But I certainly feel no need to limit myself to one description.   Life is as multi-faceted as I am, and everything can wear beautiful and meaningful and sometimes just fun costumes. 

So I’m also declaring this the Summer of Exponential Self-Love.   I’m participating in Amy Palko’s wonderful 6-week sacred practice she’s calling A Summer of Self and Soul where we’re doing daily selfies – photographs of ourselves, which we then alter if we choose to express our souls in ways that invite us.  Such a rich practice and one I’m excited to be undertaking.  Seeing the truth of myself by looking and really seeing myself and documenting myself and altaring myself. Yes I mean altaring.  This is the summer that I’m honoring the who-I-am that is wholly sacred. 

This is the least comfortable of all aspects of myself.   I’ve never been wholly comfortable in my body, and I certainly don’t meet conventional standards for what is acceptable and appreciated for a woman’s body in our society.  There are many times I’ve certainly felt the sting of those judgments.  I’m not young or pretty or fit.   And while frankly I’ve been a feminist long enough to truly understand none of it actually has anything to do with me personally, it breaks my own heart when I find there are times I can’t love me exactly the way I am.  When looking at photos someone else has taken of me makes me sad.  When I look in a mirror and find more to criticize than celebrate.  How can that be?  How can I look into the eyes of my soul housed in what can only be described as a miraculous container and not fall down in awe and be gobsmacked with love?  Really?  How did that happen?  Whatever the reason, I’m having no more of it.  Hence the Summer of Exponential Self-Love.   I’m serving up heaps of self-compassion, great doses of love, and inviting in some laughter to help ease the way. 

While I’m not planning on posting my selfies daily here on my blog, I’m posting today’s because I invoked laughter to start this project and laughter delivered.

Midway through the year is a perfect time to re-evaluate if you chose a word or some sort of guiding phrase for 2013.  Are you still working with it, or has it fallen by the wayside?  Does it need tweaking?  Recommitment?   The guiding star I chose for myself this year is “Sacred Devotion” and this selfie project feels like a perfect honoring of that with the focus being loveifying myself. 

And here’s my index card for the ICAD challenge.  Do check out the links – there’s a lot of creativity being expressed this summer.  And remember, it’s never too late to join.

So what about you?  Do you take selfies?  Did you choose a word for 2013?  How’s that going for you?  Are you practicing exponential self love?  Are you laughing enough?  Do tell – you know I love to hear.