#84: Reparenting Yourself

A BRIEF MEDITATION

Imagine a small, determined seedling pushing its way through the rich, dark soil. Delicate yet resilient, the tiny plant gradually begins its journey toward the sunlight, surrounded by an environment that is both nurturing and challenging.

The seedling represents the very essence of your potential. Every baby step of growth is tenuous and effortful but, as a whole, this bravery is transformative.

➜ Add this photo to your dashboard*

_{*Don’t have Plus? Start a free trial here!}

MANTRA BREAKDOWN

Often, we view our ego as something negative, something we need to push away or get rid of. But that's simply not possible. The foundation of self-parenting is accepting all parts of ourselves unconditionally. This means embracing our ego, even when it's triggered.

Think of it like dealing with a child who's upset in a toy store. You won't necessarily give in to their demands, but you also wouldn't stop loving them if they didn't meet certain expectations, like getting good grades.

Similarly, we should offer the same unrestricted love and acceptance to our ego.

Whether our ego is longing for something or is scared, it's holding onto specific outcomes because it fears what might happen if things don't go as planned.

By reminding ourselves "It’s okay if things don’t go my way" and "It’s okay if I face something I don't want," we start to cultivate a deep, unwavering sense of security.

Creating a sea of "okayness" within ourselves, we invite peace and light to our everyday. We start to genuinely believe we are worthy of all of our love. This is the heart of self-parenting.

➜ Add this mantra to my dashboard*

THE MIND-EXPANDING POWER OF WRITING A LETTER TO FUTURE YOU

Self-parenting is security. It also means building enough self-trust to follow through on what matters most to you. There's a part of everyone eager to grow, explore, and experience more.

That's why so many of us set goals and resolutions each year!

Instead of scribbling down your goals somewhere you'll probably never look at again, consider writing a letter to yourself a year from now.

This approach helps activate trust and accountability. It helps you view Future You much like a cherished friend who has hopes and aspirations for their life. (Someone worthy of commitment!)

Just the brainstorming process itself can be profoundly revelatory.

Consider the suggested prompts adapted from Sahil Bloom's 10-year letter exercise (check out Sahil's letter for inspiration!) to help guide the writing of your letter: 

• Deconstruct the patterns of the present:

  • What's giving me energy? What's draining my energy?

  • Consider this in terms of habits, projects, relationships, or anything that takes up time and energy.

• Zoom out and envision the future:

  • What are my ambitious or long-term goals? Most importantly, why am I trying to achieve them? What are my actual motivations?

  • What is my ideal life like on the day I open this letter?

  • What happened along the way to spark that? What changes do I need to make in my life today to create that future?

HOW TO START

Take at least half an hour (with time to spare, if needed) to write this letter, using the prompts above or your own. You can print it out, or write your letter in an email, and schedule it to be sent a year from now.

MOMENTUM FEATURE OF THE WEEK

Mantras are a way of reparenting (and essentially rewiring) your subconscious. If read intentionally over time, mantras can help you embrace life-expanding beliefs and let go of those that drain your energy.

Which ones below resonate with what you need to hear?

IT’S ALL GOOD (NEWS)

Here are a few stories that may spark curiosity and wonder. ✨

• 🚌 Sustainability: Miami Commits to Putting 100 Electric School Buses on the Road

• 🏊🏼‍♀️ Awesome Humans: "I Just Count the Laps": Canadian Swimmer, 99, Breaks 3 World Records

• 🧠 Health: Third Study Shows Popping a Daily Multivitamin Could Prevent Cognitive Decline

• 🦾 Tech: Gene Therapy Allows an 11-Year-Old Boy to Hear for the First Time