“We must let go of the life we have planned to accept the one waiting for us.” Joseph Campbell

No one said it would be easy. Not life, not love, not the pursuit of self, but it is essential and valuable.

You sleep, wake up with, and self-talk to yourself all day. This life has more to do with self than imaginable. In our lives, we will go through a gamut of life-changing events, some good, some tragic, all a part of our journey.

What I know for sure.

I do not compare myself with others. The only benchmark I have is myself. My success, failure, efforts, and dropping the ball are on me, no one else. There will always be someone better, more talented, and more intelligent. However, there is only one me, and striving forward is the only way I will know if I will win or lose.

I can recover from hurt, disappointment, and sorrow. I will have sad moments, but they pass. My dreams can change, and I am ok with that. I can try something and fail; that is also ok; at least I showed up.

I’ve learned to embrace sorrow-filled moments with the truth of my emotions. I accepted them and how life can be utterly unfair and held onto the knowledge that life was on my side and that I would return to a blessed life. Some lessons present themselves, and I attempt to see them and learn from them.

Honestly, for me, with love, the lessons came slowly. I had on blinders; I was in the same jam with a different man. Those lessons were the most difficult to look at, which is all right. To this point, I wrote a book about my love journey.

Love is out there. The stronger I became in myself, the greater love I attracted. I was utterly happy alone; I was vibrating on such a high level of joy that more joy showed up, and part of that joy was a partner. It is never too late or too early for love. Love can be shared with friends and with partners.

One of my weaknesses is looking for affirmations from the outside. This is folly, as my drive to complete what I deem essential is an inside job. I know if my book, and the next book to come, will help one person I have helped a village, imagining the ripple effect. I hold onto that vision and embrace the end as if it was here, even though I have hours, days, and weeks before I complete the edits for my next book.

I sit before my edits as if it were a significant appointment with a valued person.

Indeed, it is; it is me, the same person I sleep with, the same person I wake up with.

The most remarkable work you can do is on yourself. You are loving yourself with healthy practices and moving your body, eating well, and being with positive, like-minded people. Women and friends who support your ideas and dreams, solid friendships, and seek honest help where needed. That is what it is about.

Whatever you seek, love, career, or success is possible if you set your intentions and don’t take no for an answer. Work on yourself and examine your history; a path to today is paved, and lessons lie along the route.

My Mantra: “Note to self, show up.”

@katiellindley

Living your best life can be hard and will be!? #dating advice #self love #going for your dreams #living your best life

♬ Send Me on My Way – Vibe Street

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Katie L Lindley

Although I would like to say I am organized, focused and cookie-cutter, that simply would not be me. I am no different than any other woman in the world. I love to love, love hard, and, in the end, have learned to love myself above all else. So here I am, writing about the many men and the multiple purposes they have served in my life. Realizing that not one man on my roster had fulfilled every single one of my needs. Perhaps one man is not supposed to? I have compiled snippets of the men that have entered my world. In the end, they have shoved me towards my bathroom mirror, forcing me to take a better look at myself. Reflection is brilliant and the strongest guidepost into ourselves.

Working on the next book in the series “A House for Every Purpose, My Journey From Pillow to Pillow” revels a woman abandoning her home in search or her identity beyond men, motherhood, author.

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