on putting that baggage down

While I love a beautiful piece of luggage as much as the next Diva girl, there is some baggage I just don't wanna carry. No matter how wonderful and loving and gracious our parents were as we grew up, we all acquire baggage. It's just a part of life. This baggage isn't like a gorgeous Louis Vuitton filled with inspiring beauty; this baggage is down-right ugly and filled with crap. It feels oh. so. heavy. to carry on a daily basis. It slows us down. It keeps us stagnant. It casts a dark shadow on our lives. Yet, sometimes we do everything in our power to keep on carrying it. We fill it with anger. We fill it with fear. We make up excuses as to why we need to keep it around. We hold on tight to it, as if we would have to go naked without its contents. We believe it is a part of us, and that we wouldn't be "ourselves" without it.

Here is the simple, good news:
We can CHOOSE at any moment to put our baggage down.

It is just that simple. We can send our parents, past lovers, friends, etc. light and love and forgiveness, and then set the bag down and MOVE ON. And, anytime we feel the baggage trying to roll back into our lives, (and I can guarantee it will at some point or another) we can make a conscious choice to stop it and simply refuse to pick it back up. While others may have filled our baggage full, we are the ones who have control of whether or not we carry it.

That, my friends, is personal power & responsibility

& we ALL have it.

What do you need to set down today?

Peace, Love, Lipstick

& Namaste,

Leslie

shedding perfectionism

Perfectionism is not a prerequisite to anything besides pain.

I consider myself a recovering perfectionist. I know I am not alone with this constant battle, and many women, in particular, are right there with me. I come from a long line of perfectionistic women--some of whom still announce the title proudly. Here are some reasons perfectionism is a sure road to pain and disappointment and definitely worth the time and effort to let the title go:

Perfectionism can stop us from starting.

People who strive for perfection often will not attempt something because they feel like they can't do whatever it is perfectly. Many missed opportunities and experiences can go by in life for those who set perfection as their standard. Sadly, this means opportunities to grow and learn and transform and move in the direction of your dreams can be passed by.

Perfectionism can stop us from finishing.

Many times projects go unfinished because the perfectionist's perception is that she is not living up to her own unrealistic standards. The false notion is that not finishing something is better than finishing the project and it not being perfect.

There is NO such thing as perfection.

Striving for perfection will always be a let down because it simply does not exist. No matter what you do or how you do it, it will never be perfect, so you're setting yourself up to feel unworthy, not good enough, and constantly falling short. We all know (in our heads) that perfection doesn't exist, but we need that shift of knowing to move to our hearts, so we can let it go!

How do we make that shift to the heart knowing?

Radical Self-Love, Self-Compassion, & Self Acceptance

When you feel the perfectionistic voice sneaking into your head, make a conscious decision to shift your thinking. Imagine that you are talking to your best friend:

What would you say to her in the situation? How would you support and encourage her? How would you help her see her strengths and be more compassionate with herself?

Here's to shedding perfectionism, one self-loving thought at a time!

Peace, Love, Lipstick,

& Namaste'

Leslie