Do you ever find yourself reacting in a way that reflects the old you?

You’ve done a lot of work on yourself. Maybe you’ve spent time with a therapist or done deep inner healing, and you’re proud of how far you’ve come. Then something happens, and suddenly you respond in a way that feels like the old, unhealthy version of you.

And you want to scream, Dammit! I thought I healed and released all that nonsense. Why does that sh* still creep up?*

Then another consequence follows close behind: shame. That quiet but painful feeling that something’s wrong with you.

That happened to me recently. My shame felt like an old, smelly, wet blanket thrown over me, weighing me down and casting a dark tinge over life.

When I turned to my divine advisors for guidance, I expected comfort. Instead, they reminded me of something important. A key part of my path is learning to accept myself as I am in this moment. Sometimes I will make mistakes or react in ways I thought I had moved beyond years ago.

That doesn’t mean I stop working on myself. Growth and healing still matter. But it does mean recognizing and loving who I am along the way.

You and I are, after all, sometimes fickle human beings trying to live our best selves, and we won’t succeed every time. And that’s OK. In fact, it’s part of the beauty of being human.

At our core, we are innately good. Yet sometimes we still miss the mark.

So the next time you mess up or don’t act in a way that reflects the best version of you, pause before shame takes hold. Offer yourself the same compassion you would give a dear friend.

Accept yourself. Love yourself.

You’re doing the best you can.

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