Three Gentle Suggestions for releasing Shame and allowing Life to restart.
Are you tired of feeling depressed and bad about yourself?
Shame is a dark cloak we wrap around our inner light, woven of all the harsh voices that insisted that we were not good enough and we will never be good enough. We are actually bad. Bad. Bad. Bad.
And bad people do not deserve love or success. They need to suffer.
Oh dear!
I hope that sounds extreme for you. It does NOT for me. As a triple Scorpio, this self-flagellation reaches the level of torture. I should be brought up on criminal charges.
But here’s the kicker.
It’s all in my head now. Any of stupid decisions, lousy situations or unhealthy people that generated my feelings of “worthlessness” exist in the past. Yes, when I dwell on them, I reinforce how “wrong” I was, I wrap myself in that hideous, old familiar coat, and lay down, defeated.
Here’s something that occurred to me. This is fundamental to the process of healing, a divine modality that I was introduced to, through my podcast, “How to Connect with Angels.”
Unconditionally love yourself enough to release the shackles of shame.
Here’s a quote from page in my book, “It’s Too Late to Quit”, that I made into a pin:
How can we even begin that process?
In the Soul Food Book Club, we discussed listing the stuff you are ashamed of. Go for all the ways you feel bad about yourself or your behavior, to the point of ridiculousness. (Like, maybe you’re ashamed of your elbow wrinkles, or how you’ve gained weight during the lockdown. )
Now, imagine all these “failures” on that list are simply MISTAKES. You did the best you could, and it didn’t go well, and you’ll never do that again. For example, that awful first marriage. You didn’t know better, you thought you were in love, you desperately needed love, and you couldn’t help yourself from getting in too deep with the wrong partner. Thankfully you managed to close down that s—t show.
A mistake means we learned from it. We took a wrong turn, but the course eventually corrected itself. We got back on track for something, someone, somewhere healthier.
I had a fantastic business mentor working with me in the early days of our film production company here in New Orleans. He said, “Sheri, if you hop on a plane to fly from Los Angeles to Hawaii, all the pilots will tell you, it’s impossible to fly in a straight line. You set your sights on Honolulu and from there on out, it’s a series of corrections.”
Underlying that great advice is not just wisdom, but compassion and understanding. Naturally, there will be course corrections.You are human. It is challenging to make this earthly trip in our human suits, with our human hearts, our feelings and our limitations.
It’s never a direct flight.
Now, about this long list of things your ashamed of, and mistakes you made. Try taking a little private time to imagine you are sitting with the most loving, kind, and understanding being in the world. It can be your Nana, it can be your Guardian Angel, it can be Jesus.
Share this list, speak about these burdens from your past. Admit these mistakes. Write it, or discuss it out loud. If you were floating a canoe down the river, these would be heavy stones that need to go overboard - weights on your soul that threaten to sink you.
And now, allow yourself to hear the response. Allow yourself to feel, and write down all the words of forgiveness, understanding, and unconditional love that flow from this Being.
You can do this. You can love yourself and break free.
You will have to take the first step, and let that light in.
When you do, I deeply hope you locate that moment
of feeling loved and valued beyond your comprehension.
So, that’s what I want to offer, abut releasing shame. I hope it helps, in some way, to clear your path for a lighter and more free tomorrow.
My book “It’s Too Late to Quit.” can help keep your spirits raised through these challenging, soul-wringing times. You can read some stellar reviews, decide to gift yourself…
Pinterest “users”, my deepest thanks in advance for sharing these pins and the messages of renewal through unconditional self-love.
We can begin again. We can hit refresh, no matter our age or circumstances.
Onward, with love.
Sheri Leigh
Here’s our Laniappe to YOU!
(That’s a New Orleans term for a free goodie on your plate).
Click here for a powerful 45-second Prayer to Archangel Michael for help releasing our negativity - created and offered by Ivana Vozzo Morano, an Angel Channel and Reiki Master.
