When and why we need grace
When it rains, it pours. I am the type of person that when I get down, or something doesn’t go the way I visioned it, I catastrophize everything. Often, I am the result of all my problems. What I mean by this, is that every time something goes wrong, it’s usually “my” fault. Giving myself grace, and allowing myself to grow is a huge struggle!
When I get in moments where I need the most grace, I inundate myself with negative self-commentary such as:
- I am so stupid
- I can’t do this
- I’m not capable
- If only I were smarter
- If only I were prettier
- If only I was (insert insecurity here)
The words we tell ourselves often come into manifestation. When I was at my worst, at the bottom of the barrel, I was un-intentionally writing that kind of life for myself, not realizing that it was a cycle of negative affirmations.
Honestly, manifesting a positive life really does start with the words we tell ourselves. Check out my blog on manifestation!
If I had learned that I deserved grace when I was younger, I would have forgone so much suffering and pain. I look back at that with sadness, but at the same time I realize that I needed to grow in my own way- and in this moment I give myself grace for learning the way that I needed and when I needed it.
What is “grace”?
I learned about the word “grace” when I was a kid. My family was heavily involved with the Christian church, and “ The Grace of God” was a staple in my home. I could sing you the song “Amazing Grace,” but I couldn’t tell you what the song actually meant.
Grace, at its core, is giving credit to the present. Forgiving past mistakes, and understanding the mental and physical presence at the moment. It’s a powerful part of mindset, and manifesting wellbeing.
In order to give ourselves grace, we need to shift the way we think about our actions. It’s easy, almost culturally encouraged, to think about our past as a way we “missed out” or that everything we do has a timeline.
Understand that nobody is perfect
Especially with social media, we look at other people’s lives and kick ourselves in the butt for not being able to do the same. For me, I definitely feel the pressure of age. We are told that youth is the prime of our lives. Our 30s are meant to be stable, to have a clear career path, a family, a home. Most of us are not necessarily in this “perfect” life. Recognizing that this is OK is imperative for giving ourselves grace. It’s almost an everyday exercise to give myself grace in the moments when I feel like I had missed out.
How to give yourself grace
Reflection & Meditation
When reflecting on the past, instead of dwelling on our mistakes, reflect on how you learned from those situations. Meditate on how you became a better person because of the mistakes you made. Think about how you would handle those situations differently if they arose again.
Acceptance
In order to be forgiving to ourselves, and to give ourselves that much-needed grace, we have to accept ourselves. Accept that we are who we are. We are our own worst critics, but the good news is that if we can accept ourselves, we can then love ourselves.
Accepting who you are and the decisions that were made make us who we are today. You are a bright, shining light. Nobody has the power to take away our knowledge, and no one should have the power to take away our self-worth.
What are some ways that you can give yourself grace? Let me know down in the comments!
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