the moon glows, her light gentle compared to that of the sun. there is a steadfastness in her. she knows exactly who she is.

from your bedroom window, you watch her, and you yearn to have that kind of belief in yourself.

the empress

love flows from you

endlessly.

feel it as it streams

through your veins.

that warmth you hold

for those dear to you?

it is something special.

something beautiful.

do not fight it.

nurture it.

help it grow

into something

extraordinary,

and give it back

to yourself.

do you remember

the last time

you put yourself first?

i mean really, truly

put yourself first.

the last time

you made what you needed

a priority and didn’t waste time

weighing the feelings of others.

when was it?

was it last week?

last month?

last year?

or can you not remember

the last time?

perhaps there hasn’t even been

a first time.

you give so much, darling,

and ask for so little in return,

and in some ways,

that is beautiful.

being kind to others

is a gift many people

in this cruel world lack.

but maybe,

just this once,

be kind to yourself.

some days loving myself

feels like a battle

i’d rather not fight.

and i’ve learned that

it’s okay to take a moment,

to rest when you need to,

and it’s okay to be happy

with where you are,

even as you take the next step

up the mountain

you’ve been climbing

all these years.

some days loving myself

feels like a battle,

and i’m ready to charge

towards it headfirst.

but other days, loving myself

feels like putting the sword down

and reaching for peace instead.

other days,

loving myself

feels like taking a moment

to appreciate how far i’ve already come,

and just enjoying the view.

i’ve started telling myself

i am beautiful

at all hours of the day.

when i first wake up,

all messy hair and morning breath,

when i get out of the shower,

skin reddened by hot water,

hair plastered wet to my scalp,

when i get dressed for the day

and i examine myself in the mirror,

i say it.

i say it before and after

every meal,

regardless of the number

on the scale.

even if i hate the way

clothes fit me that day.

because it is always true.

so i say it.

and i believe it.

every time.

affirmations to tell yourself each morning:

1. i am of the earth. i am a child of moss and morning dew. i am grounded; i am rooted in the depths of who i am.

2. i am strong. i have braced myself against life’s highest waves and powerful winds and have come out on the other side, standing tall.

3. i am beautiful. i am ethereal, radiant with beauty. i have a smile as bright as the sun, and eyes that sparkle with the light of a thousand stars.

4. i am loved. i mean so much to so many people. they would not be the same without me in their lives. their skies would be darker without me.