“The only way to being at peace with yourself is to be accepting and loving of who you are.”

Let me share you a story.

Before I started blogging fourteen years ago, I was in a woman’s group and from there I became aware of this thing called blogging. And I told myself, Charina…you can do that very same thing.

So I researched and learned something about it and started one.

At first, I would get ideas from other bloggers on what I should blog about.

Then as months and years went by, I started getting personal. I would talk about my life and personal experiences.

But not too personal enough to be considered “it’s all of me” because there’s still a part of some blogger or famous writer’s idea in there. Let’s say, re-phrasing of someone else’s ideas.

That changed when I wrote and published my book five years ago.

Then, I lost myself again….

I would say, having such high expectations was to blame for it.

Today, I’ve found my own.

It’s when I start acknowledging my feelings and ideas without referencing someone else’s.

It happened when I accepted the fact that not everyone will see the writer in me.

It is that time when I realized that not everyone that celebrated and congratulated me on the self publication of my book, will support me beyond purchasing a copy.

It’s that time when I quit writing stories for likes, shares and followers.

It’s that time when I quit trying to be noticed.

It’s that time when I stopped writing about an “imaginary” person’s pains, sufferings, dreams, joys, goals and their hope of belonging because this is what would hopefully get a lot of attention.

Because, feelings invoked feelings. Pains lessens pains. Sufferings heals sufferings. Hope encourages hope.

But the reality is, my brave is not your brave. Your strengths are not synonymous to mine. Your hopes are not comparable to mine. And your stories….will never be the same as mine.

Because,

We are our own stories. Our own sufferings. Our own pains. Your hopes are never equal or lesser than mine. And your brave, does not happen at the exact same time as mine and it is not of lesser value or importance.

It all happened not because you read my stories or because you felt that brave in between us. You might have been inspired and it might have given you hope…

But the truth is,

It happened because of your truth.

It happened because of your willingness to accept.

It happened because of your readiness to conquer that fear.

It happened because God made it a reality.

And at those times, when you don’t feel the brave?

When doubts silence your hopes?

When the lies conquer your truths?

And when denials are more satisfying than accepting…

Lean on God.

Trust His process.

Wait on his timetables.

Because our God is a knowing and loving God.

He is not dictated on when should it happen or where and how it would happen.

And at those times when you found your brave, feel your readiness, embrace your truths and shout your acceptance…

Give glory and praise to the One who worked patiently on you.

To the One who waited lovingly on you.

To the One who showed you your brave.

To the One who nourished your truths.

Because in the midst of all our admiring and following and belonging and applauding…

We forgot the One who made all these things possible.

He is our brave.

He is our truth.

He is our hope.

He is our story.

Until next time,