You Thought You Were Here to Get Stuff

May 11, 2025 By LLH Leave a Comment

“You thought you were here to get stuff, prove yourself, and find people to love you. Instead you are here get peace, be yourself, and find people to love. You thought you were here to fix the world. Instead you are here to appreciate what is before you and see the world through new eyes.” – Alan Cohen

The Journey to True Peace

So often we get caught up in this wild race to collect achievements, possessions, and validation. We think that’s the whole game of life—get the promotion, buy the house, impress people enough that they’ll finally see our worth. But here’s the truth: you weren’t put here to accumulate stuff or to constantly prove yourself worthy. You were born to experience peace. Real, lasting, soul-deep peace that doesn’t depend on what you own or what others think of you. When you shift from chasing stuff to cultivating peace, everything changes. Suddenly, life isn’t a test you might fail—it’s an experience you get to have.

Many of us spend years wearing masks, trying to become what we think others want us to be. We exhaust ourselves shape-shifting and people-pleasing, hoping that if we just act right, someone will finally love us enough. But love doesn’t work that way, friend. The most beautiful gift you can give yourself and others is the courage to be authentically you—with all your quirks, vulnerabilities, and unique magic. And here’s the wonderful paradox: when you focus less on finding people to love you and more on finding people to genuinely love, connections deepen in ways you never imagined possible. Real love flows from giving, not from desperate attempts to receive.

We’re taught to see problems everywhere, aren’t we? The world seems broken, and somewhere along the way, many of us picked up the belief that fixing it all is our personal responsibility. We carry the weight of global issues on our shoulders, feeling guilty when we can’t solve everything. But what if that’s not actually your job? What if your task isn’t to fix the entire world but to fully show up for your small corner of it? There’s immense power in trading the burden of fixing everything for the practice of appreciating what’s right in front of you—the morning light, the friendly cashier, the taste of your coffee, the gift of another day.

When we’re stuck in our usual ways of seeing, we miss so much beauty. The same street you walk down every day contains countless miracles you’ve never noticed. The people you think you know completely still hold mysteries and gifts you haven’t discovered. Seeing the world through new eyes doesn’t require traveling to exotic places—it just means dropping your assumptions and approaching each moment with fresh curiosity. It means asking, “What if I don’t already know everything about this person, this situation, this challenge?” That simple question opens doors to wisdom that’s been waiting for you all along.

So breathe, and release the need to collect accolades and possessions. Let go of the exhausting work of trying to be someone else. Put down the weight of fixing everything that’s wrong. Instead, come home to yourself. Make peace your priority. Love freely without keeping score. Look at the ordinary wonders around you until they reveal themselves as extraordinary. This is the path to genuine fulfillment—not getting more, but being more present; not being loved by everyone, but loving deeply; not fixing the world, but changing how you see it. And in that shift of perspective lies all the magic you’ve been searching for.

Those Who Love You Are Not Fooled by Mistakes You Have Made

May 11, 2025 By LLH Leave a Comment

“Those who love you are not fooled by mistakes you have made or dark images you hold about yourself. They remember your beauty when you feel ugly; your wholeness when you are broken; your innocence when you feel guilty; and your purpose when you are confused.” – Alan Cohen

You Are More Than Your Mistakes

You know those moments when you look in the mirror and all you can see are your flaws? We all have them. But here’s something beautiful to remember: the people who truly love you have a different mirror. They see the real you—not the version that shows up in your worst thoughts about yourself.

When you’re beating yourself up over a mistake, your loved ones are remembering all the times you got it right. They’re holding onto the image of you at your best, even when you can’t seem to find it yourself. That’s not because they’re wearing rose-colored glasses. It’s because they’ve seen the authentic you that exists beneath the temporary struggles and setbacks. They know your heart.

We often carry around these dark pictures of ourselves—images created from our failures, regrets, and insecurities. We believe these snapshots tell the whole story. But your loved ones have watched the entire movie of your life. They’ve seen your courage, your kindness, your perseverance. They remember your wholeness when you’re feeling broken into pieces. They hold space for your healing because they know it’s possible.

When guilt weighs heavy on your shoulders, the people who care about you recall your innocence—not because they excuse harmful actions, but because they understand your good intentions. They see beyond your missteps to the person who’s trying their best. And during those confusing chapters when you’ve lost your way, they gently remind you of your purpose, your gifts, your unique contributions to this world.

This is the magic of being truly seen and loved. It’s not that others don’t notice your struggles—they do. But they refuse to define you by them. So next time you’re drowning in self-criticism, borrow their vision for a moment. Try seeing yourself through the eyes of someone who loves you. That perspective isn’t fantasy—it might actually be the most accurate view of who you really are.

Sometimes You Need to Remind Yourself

May 6, 2025 By LLH Leave a Comment

“Sometimes you need to remind yourself that you were the one who carried yourself through the heartache. You are the one who sits with the cold body on the shower floor and picks it up. You are the one who feeds it, who clothes it, who tucks it into bed, and you should be proud of that. Having the strength to take care of yourself when the world is trying to bleed you dry—that is the strongest thing in the universe.” – Author Unknown

Finding Strength in Self-Care

When life knocks you down, remember something powerful: you’ve been your own hero all along. Think about those moments when grief felt like a weight crushing your chest. Those days when sadness had you sitting on the shower floor, water running cold, feeling empty. It was YOU who eventually stood up. No one else could do that for you. You found that strength somewhere deep inside when it seemed impossible to move. That’s not small—that’s magnificent.

The world can be ruthless sometimes. Between work demands, relationship struggles, financial pressure, and the constant noise of social media, it can feel like everything is trying to drain your energy. Yet somehow, you keep showing up. You feed yourself when you don’t feel hungry. You put on clean clothes when staying in bed seems easier. You create moments of peace for yourself in a chaotic world. These aren’t just routine tasks—they’re acts of courage and self-love that deserve recognition.

Most of us were never taught how important self-care really is. We learned how to care for others, how to be productive, how to chase success—but not how to genuinely nurture ourselves. When you choose to be gentle with yourself during hard times, you’re breaking cycles that might go back generations. You’re saying: “I matter too.” That decision to honor your needs isn’t selfish—it’s revolutionary. It changes everything about how you move through the world.

The strongest people aren’t those who never fall apart—they’re the ones who know how to put themselves back together, piece by piece. Think about what you’ve survived already. The heartbreaks, disappointments, losses, and failures that felt unbearable at the time. Yet here you are, still breathing, still trying. You didn’t just endure those moments—you rebuilt yourself after them, sometimes stronger than before. That resilience is something to be deeply proud of.

So tonight, look in the mirror and really see yourself. See the warrior who’s weathered storms. See the healer who’s tended to your own wounds. See the friend who’s been there for yourself when no one else could be. The journey of taking care of yourself isn’t always pretty or perfect—it’s messy and ongoing. But it might be the most important relationship you’ll ever have. Because when you truly learn to hold yourself with compassion, you become unshakable from within. And that kind of strength? It ripples outward and changes everything.

I Don’t Care How Difficult You Think It Is

May 5, 2025 By LLH Leave a Comment

“I don’t care how difficult you think it is; you have to choose yourself this time.” – Author Unknown

Choosing Yourself When It Seems Impossible

I know that voice inside your head. The one that says, “But what about everyone else? What will they think? Maybe I should wait until things settle down.” I’ve been there too. But hear me now: I don’t care how difficult you think it is; you have to choose yourself this time. This isn’t selfishness—it’s survival. And more than that, it’s the only path to becoming who you’re meant to be.

Think about those airplane safety demonstrations. They always tell you to put your own oxygen mask on first before helping others. Why? Because if you pass out from lack of oxygen, you can’t help anyone else. Life works the same way. When you constantly put your needs last, you’re not just hurting yourself—you’re showing up as a depleted version of yourself to everyone around you. Your relationships, your work, your purpose—they all suffer when you don’t value yourself enough to put yourself first sometimes.

We often think choosing ourselves means grand gestures or dramatic life changes. But it usually starts small—saying no to that extra responsibility when you’re already overwhelmed, taking twenty minutes for quiet reflection before jumping into family chaos, asking for help instead of martyring yourself. These small acts of self-respect build the muscle that allows you to make bigger choices later. Each time you honor your needs, you’re telling yourself: “I matter. My wellbeing matters.”

I’ve send hundreds of people who hit rock bottom before they finally gave themselves permission to prioritize their own happiness. Don’t wait until you’re broken to start piecing yourself together. The world doesn’t benefit from your sacrifice nearly as much as it benefits from your wholeness. When you choose yourself, you’re not taking from others—you’re actually giving them the gift of your authentic, energized presence rather than your resentful leftovers.

The truth is, choosing yourself isn’t just about you. It’s about becoming the person who can truly give from overflow rather than deficit. It’s about modeling healthy boundaries for your children and friends. It’s about creating a life that inspires others rather than warns them. So the next time that voice tells you it’s too hard or too selfish to put yourself first, remember: choosing yourself isn’t just something you deserve—it’s something the world around you desperately needs you to do. Start today, with one small choice. I promise you won’t regret it.

Ten Years Ago, You Were So Scared of Such Different Things

April 13, 2025 By LLH Leave a Comment

“Ten years ago, you were so scared of such different things, but you survived them anyway. The same goes for five years ago and two years ago. Everything that has ever felt like a hurdle, you’ve passed through. So be afraid, identify your fears, and then allow yourself to remember that, in just a little while, this will be another thing you have overcome.” – slfcare

The Art of Conquering Fear: A Reflection on Resilience

Fear is universal, but so is our ability to overcome it—even when we don’t realize our own strength.

Think about yourself ten years ago. What kept you up at night? Maybe it was college applications, a first job interview, or moving to a new city. Those mountains that once seemed impossible to climb are now barely visible in your rearview mirror.

Five years ago brought new challenges. Perhaps relationship struggles, career decisions, or financial pressures. Yet here you are, having navigated those waters.

Even two years ago—relatively recent in life’s journey—you faced obstacles that felt overwhelming in the moment. The pandemic disrupted lives globally, forcing adaptations we never imagined necessary. Yet humans proved remarkably resilient.

This pattern reveals something crucial about fear: it’s temporary, even when it doesn’t feel that way. Our anxieties transform over time not because the world becomes less challenging, but because we continuously develop the strength to face new challenges.

When fear grips you today, try this practice: name your fears specifically. Write them down. The act of identifying what scares you strips away some of its power. Then remind yourself of your track record—you’ve been afraid before, and you’ve survived every single time.

This isn’t about dismissing legitimate concerns or advocating recklessness. Rather, it’s about contextualizing today’s challenges within your personal history of overcoming obstacles.

The next time anxiety feels overwhelming, pause and consider: in two years, five years, or ten years, this current struggle will likely be just another badge of courage on your journey—another story of how you faced your fears and kept moving forward anyway.

The Power of the Tongue Is Real

April 7, 2025 By LLH Leave a Comment

The POWER of the tongue is real.

Stop saying you’re tired all the time.

You’re broke, or you’re depressed.

Start saying you’re grateful.

Start manifesting growth.

(Author Unknown)

Words have transformative energy and can shape our reality. What we repeatedly say—both out loud and in our minds—has a profound impact on our mindset, emotions, and even our circumstances. It’s rooted in the belief that language isn’t just a tool for communication; it’s a force that can either drain us or lift us up.

When you constantly say you’re tired, broke, or depressed, you’re reinforcing those states, almost like programming your brain to stay stuck there. It’s a cycle of negativity that feeds itself. On the flip side, choosing words like “grateful,” “growth,” or “life” shifts your focus to possibility and abundance. It’s not about denying reality—it’s about redirecting your energy toward what you want to cultivate. This aligns with principles of positive psychology and manifestation: what you focus on expands.

By speaking with intention, we can break free from self-imposed limits and start building a more empowered, vibrant life. Words are seeds—plant the good ones.

Don’t Plan Too Much

April 7, 2025 By LLH Leave a Comment

“Don’t plan too much, life has its own plans for you. Always remember that some of the most beautiful moments of your life are actually unplanned.” – Author Unknown

This quote beautifully captures the essence of living with openness and flexibility. It reminds us that while planning can give us direction, overplanning can sometimes trap us in rigid expectations, leaving little room for the magic of spontaneity. Life, in its unpredictable nature, often surprises us with moments of joy, connection, or growth that we could never have orchestrated ourselves. The unplanned—a chance meeting, an unexpected adventure, or a sudden shift in perspective—frequently becomes the heartbeat of our most cherished memories.

The deeper wisdom here is about trust: trusting that life isn’t something to be fully controlled, but rather experienced. When we loosen our grip on the need to map out every step, we allow ourselves to be present, adaptable, and receptive to beauty we didn’t see coming. Think of a time you stumbled into happiness—a laugh with a stranger, a detour that led to a stunning view, or a quiet moment that unexpectedly healed you. Those are the gems this quote celebrates. So, plan just enough to feel grounded, but leave space for life to dance its own dance with you. That’s where the real beauty lies.

Everything You Lost Will Be Replaced

April 7, 2025 By LLH Leave a Comment

“Everything you lost will be replaced with something better” speaks to the idea that loss—whether it’s a relationship, opportunity, or material possession—is not the end of the story. Instead, it’s a doorway to transformation. The universe, or life itself, has a way of redistributing energy. When something departs, it creates space for new experiences, lessons, or blessings that often surpass what came before.

This doesn’t mean the replacement happens instantly or without effort. It’s an invitation to trust the process, to let go of clinging to the past, and to remain open to what’s ahead. For example, losing a job might sting, but it could lead to a career you’re more passionate about. A ended relationship might pave the way for deeper self-love or a more fulfilling connection later. The “something better” isn’t always obvious at first—it might be wisdom, strength, or an unexpected opportunity—but it’s there if you’re willing to look for it.

This quote encourages a mindset of faith and patience. Loss is temporary, and what fills the void often carries greater value, aligning more closely with who you’re becoming. Embrace the cycle of release and renewal, and you’ll find that life has a way of upgrading what you thought was gone forever.