We had the opportunity to get little personal with one of our most badass radical self lovers. She is the author of Press Pause: The Breakdown that Rebuilt My Life and Changed a Family Legacy. In her book she shares traumas from her past as she unpacks the sexual and physical abuse she endured in her past. Her courage, strength, and bravery are undeniably admirable. If you're in the mood for a book you can't put down, this is the one. Maureen has been an active member in the GML2U community since 2019, and we are thrilled to share her magic!
1. What does self-love mean to you?
For me, self love means giving myself permission to be imperfect. I tried my entire life to be the perfect daughter, spouse, mom, friend...and it took a nervous breakdown for me to understand that no one is perfect. I learned to appreciate my journey through this life, and find a way to forgive the mistakes I've made (and, continue to make) in order to make myself available to others who struggle. Self love is the ability to actually believe I can, I will and I am worthy.
2. What do you love about yourself?
Well, if I can totally have a vain moment, I LOVE my hair...lolol! I love my laugh and I love my heart.
3. How do you express your love for yourself?
I learned to say no to the things that I know will hurt me, and I have learned to set boundaries for myself.
4. What challenges have you encountered on your self-love journey?
Believing I am a good woman and that saying no doesn't make me a bad person. Asking others to respect my feelings always felt wrong, like I was meant to only serve the needs of others. I learned some very harsh lessons that way.
5. How did you overcome those challenges?
For me, I had to face every fear and every trauma, put it in the middle of the room, acknowledge it and then use some very important skills I was fortunate to learn to let it all go. I work every single day to keep myself happy and true to who I am. It's like the AA program for the soul. Trauma is addictive; living in chaos becomes the only thing you know so when things begin to get hard, you gravitate toward the chaos the way an alcoholic gravitates toward alcohol. You have to be mindful that the work is necessary to overcome the temptation to just fall back into old habits. I do the work. I walk through every fear. And, I don't look back.
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