My greatest drive in my life is to be authentic. But if I’m not mindful, I can easily get in my own way. When I reflect on my past, Yes, I may have made poor choices before, and I may have struggled more than I do now, but I was doing the best I could, based on where I was at that time. This was no reason to be ashamed of where I’d been. It’s only in releasing shame about the past that we’re able to be free in the present. Now, I am proud because I choose to validate myself—who I am, who I’ve been, and who I will be. That, I believe, is the deepest kind of self-love. And we all deserve it. Know this, you are the same person—because the person you were before was beautiful and worthy of love, just as you are now. You are just at a different part of the journey. ♥