When you accept yourself exactly as you are then you will be able to accept others exactly as they are.

Hmmm…this is such a lovely idea, but how can we accept ourselves?

Clearly we are less than perfect. Since we exit the womb’s loving embrace, and toddle into the terrain of the real world, the world points out our imperfections.  We’re filled to the brim with issues, problems and exit strategies. We fear to tread in the deep, dark corners of our psyches.

How can we find acceptance in all of that mess? 

What do our perceived imperfections have to teach us? Basically bullsh*t. Yet, instead of running away from the stench we can use it to fertilize our gardens. Roll up your sleeves and get to work. Investigate how to use the mess to cultivate and grow your garden of truth. Begin to work on yourself as if your life depends on it because it does.

What is your truth? What have you got going for you? What lights your fire, melts your heart and signals deep inner awareness? What is it about you that other people are attracted to? What is worth fighting for? What would ignite your courage and motivate you to launch a full-blown study and investigation into your self, the self? I’m not talking about the self that sabotages you, but your Truth, with an uppercase T. The truth of who you are.

It is hard to describe your truth. It’s ethereal and concrete. It is internal and external. It can be triggered by an outside event, or not. It is what gives you the right words at the right time. Truth offers relief when it is needed the most. Truth gives us super-human strength, one minute before its too late.  Truth is the power behind connection, healing, understanding and compassion. Truth is unconditional love and it comes from inside of you.

So how does our messiness relate to our truth? Just like manure is transformed as fertilizer for a garden; our sh*t becomes the magical ingredient for transformation. Stop piling it up and letting it go to waste. Every time you catch yourself in a gut wrenching, headache inducing, energy sapping state of mind look closely at what brought you there. Study it. Look at how you could have done things differently. How you can use the sh*ttiness of your current situation to fertilize your truth.

There is abundance in your mess. The more crap you have piled up the more bountiful the garden.  Get to work and cultivate. The soil is fertile and ready for new life.

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Emily Perry. I am a truth-seeker. My passion is to observe life, experience love, study heartbreak and understand the process. I’m interested in awakening into self-realization, and sharing the significant parts of that process with anyone who is willing to listen. My intention is to connect, serve and interact with the brilliant and beautiful minds that are drifting around out there in the universe.  I have the best job in the world as the mother of two spectacular boys and I share that responsibility with my ridiculously handsome and magnificent husband. Furthermore, I am a dedicated student and teacher of Hatha Yoga. I am a lover of nature, movement, music, art, and words. You can read more at www.emilyparkinsonperry.com

Editor: Carrie Stiles