Reader
As we continue exploring belonging, a theme that resonates deeply is during times of crisis.
We have been talking about belonging, how it is essential as human beings and how to find it as we age and life evolves. Today, I want to go a lot more personal, I want to focus on the transformative power of self-love in fostering true belonging.
Recently, I found myself in a familiar place—the emergency room—with my husband due to ongoing weirdness in his heart. This wasn't our first visit; the cold, sterile environment of the ER had become an all-too-familiar backdrop to our lives. Every few years, we would pay a visit.
In the past, each visit felt painfully lonely, hours spent surrounded by the buzz of medical equipment yet isolated from comforting connections. Despite having a phone full of contacts, I felt profoundly alone—disconnected from my surroundings and the support I so desperately needed.
I didn't want to bother anyone, I felt I had to do it alone, that was the way I was raised. Being uprooted from my culture and surrounded by a culture I am not familiar with, away from everything I know, I have felt so out of touch that I didn't belong.
This time, however, something was a little different. Before, I believed that asking for help was a burden to others and that my struggles were mine alone to bear. Through the journey of self-discovery, coaching, breath work and lots and lots of journaling, I found belonging.
I’ve learned an invaluable truth: I am worthy of love, care, and support. With this newfound belief, I reached out, not to find my friends distant or disinterested, but ready and eager to support and walk with me in this journey.
The responses were immediate and heartwarming. Friends brought meals to ease daily burdens, sent messages that uplifted my spirits, and joined me in my moments of vulnerability, sharing in both my tears and hopes.
This web of support transformed the sterile, cold ER into a place where I felt surrounded by love and deeply rooted in my community—a community I created and a community I belong to!
What changed was not the location but my perspective. These are not new friends, I was merely unable to see the strength of my own network through the fog of self-doubt. By recognizing my own worth and the love I deserved, I learned an important lesson: home is not just a place, but a state of heart and mind.
My friends were not there before not because they didn't care or I didn't have any. They were not there because I was not able to reach out.
This experience has taught me that the essence of belonging springs from self-love. When we love ourselves, we open our hearts to the love of others, and we realize that we are not islands, but integral parts of a vibrant, supportive community. We are home, no matter where we are.
As we move forward, let’s remember the power of reaching out, the strength in vulnerability, and the transformative nature of community support. May we all find our sense of belonging rooted in the love we bestow upon ourselves and receive from those around us. After all "Belonging does not require you to change, it requires you to be MORE of who you are" - Brene Brown.
Are you ready to embark of a self-discovering journey? Give me call and I will be honored to walk by your side.