When you ask people about love, they tell you about heartbreak.

Trust is a product of vulnerability that grows over time and requires work, attention, and full engagement.

We cultivate love when we allow our most vulnerable and powerful selves to be deeply seen and known, and when we honor the spiritual connection that grows from that offering with trust, respect, kindness and affection

Love is not something we give or get; it is something that we nurture and grow, a connection that can only be cultivated between two people when it exists within each one of them- we can only love others as much as we love ourselves. Shame, blame, disrespect, betrayal, and the withholding of affection damage the roots from which love grows. Love can only survive these injuries if they are acknowledged, healed, and rare.

I now see how gifts like courage, compassion, and connection only work when they are exercised. Every day.

Self-compassion is key because when we're able to be gentle with ourselves in the midst of shame, we're more likely to reach out, connect, and experience empathy.

We cannot grow when we are in shame, and we can't use shame to change ourselves or others.