Last night I watched the DVD “The Hustle for Worthiness”, a lecture by Dr. Brene Brown, in which she explores the meaning of love and belonging, and how our feelings of “never good enough” prevent us from experiencing real connection. I was totally blown away by it. Brene is a friend of mine, so of course it was really thrilling for me to see her in her most professional self, giving this excellent presentation to a full audience. But not only that, the content is so interesting and her delivery so enjoyable, that I wish I had at least a couple more hours of it. I could just listen to her all day actually. I kept fantasizing that if I ever went back to school, I’d love to have her as a professor! She is so incredibly knowledgeable and she can talk about uncomfortable themes like shame and guilt with humor and depth at the same time. Thank you, Brene, for doing such inspiring and life changing work!
Brene’s talk has really got me thinking about my life and my own hustle for worthiness. I know I mentioned here before that I’ve been conflicted about my blog and the transition from blogging for pure self expression towards blogging for business purposes. I think that has absolutely everything to do with fearing that I will not be worthy of my readership anymore. In addition, as I embarked on the journey of motherhood, I’ve also began to worry about not being good enough to handle it all: my blog (and where I want to take it), my photography, my creative self, my day job, friendships, motherhood, sexiness, etc. I noticed that I’ve been scared of doing things badly, as if I depended on that success to be worthy of love. Don’t we all feel that kind of pressure? I know that I am not alone on that. But somehow, some of us do a brilliant job at getting pass that, while the rest of us struggle, give up on our dreams and end up living a life full of resentment. What to do then? What I gathered from Brene’s lecture is that the answer might be to just let go of perfectionism and keep holding onto all the aspects of our “dream life” wholeheartedly. That is what I want. I want it all. I want to live wholeheartedly. I want the self expression and I also want to make a living doing what I love. I want to be a creative entrepreneur, but I also want to be a mother, a loving mother… (mind you, a loving and sexy momma) and an awesome wife too. And mostly, I want to be/ feel loved. According to Brene, perfectionism and all these thoughts that make us hesitate and veer off the path are directly linked to our feelings of guilt and shame. As Brene says, admitting that we have such feelings can be awful. However, the bright side is that “these are just the things that get in the way”, and as long as we are aware of how they affect us, we’ll be able to work through all the challenges and emotions that arise, staying on course to live an authentic life. This is certainly a practice! But since acknowledging my “ugly feelings”, I seriously feel that I am standing in a place of a lot more acceptance and light. This is my one life to live and my dreams are worth my time, my energy and my tears even. I certainly don’t think it is a good idea to give up on life because of being afraid of doing a bad job at it. Truth is, no matter what we do (and how well we do it), as long as we “mother”, write and shoot from the heart, it will all be honest and pure, which means that we don’t have to feel guilty or shameful for any of it. And love will come… (We must stop worrying that it won’t.) And when it does, it will be directed towards our most truthful exquisite self. I don’t know about you, but personally, more than anything I’d like for my life and journey to be the most authentic representation of myself, and for it to be of inspiration to others, so none of us will ever have to settle for less than what we wish for and deserve. If we wish for it, then we are worth it. I am worth it and I believe that you are too.
***
Brene was very generous to offer a giveaway to the Gypsy Girl’s Guide community. If you’d like to enter a drawing for Brene’s DVD “the Hustle for Worthiness”, just leave a comment saying “i’m worth it.” And don’t forget to say it out loud too :)
Good luck! I’ll close comments on Saturday 11pm PST and announce the winner on Sunday morning.
I’ll go first: I’m worth it!!
The Hustle for Worthiness & a Giveaway
March 24, 2010
I’m worth it!!! I (as I know many other women can as well) can completely identify with what you are saying. It is a daily struggle. I’m in school studying web and graphic design. Talk about guilt from being away from my daughter and the time I need to take for school work and trying to establish a business.
What keeps me sane through it all is, hopefully, my daughter is learning the importance of following your dreams and passions and that it is never to late in life to go after them.
Nice post…
I’m worth it!!
…Authenticity! YES…
PS;you are inspiring others with your journey
I’m worth it! For sure!
i’m worth it, baby!
xoxo
these words of yours couldn’t be more true:
“No matter what I do, as long as I mother, write and shoot from the heart, it will all be authentic and pure”
it will also be beautiful and true, a real extension of your best self.
this is also what i strive for in my life as well.
{and i’m worth it!}
xo
i’m worth it!
yes indeed.
;-)
i’m worth it!
I *AM* WORTH IT!!!
Yeah, I’m worth it! I’m worth it! That really does feel good!
Thanks for sharing.
It’s amazing how hard those words can be to say sometimes but:
I am worth it!
I’m worth it.
I am worth it! Can’t wait to hear more from Brene’s DVD.
while some days I believe it more than others…
I am worth it!
i am soooo worth it, missy,
i cannot even tell you!
:-)
{{ what a heart*felt posting, BTW.
i plum loved it. }}
♥
I’m worth it!!
Thank you so much for sharing something so incredibly important. I have been on this ongoing quest myself; to be my most authentic as woman, lover, wife, mother, and artist, so i can completely relate to your writing. YOUR story and life as you write about it on your blog is pure inspiration and light, and i love reading it!!
I am SO worth it. Really. I am. ;)
Although I am not pregnant, nor will I ever be, I have been giving birth so to speak to some emotions and the direction I want my life to go in at the ripe old age of 42. Guilt about what I have not accomplished yet is getting in the way of the gratitude I should have for the amazing joyful relationship I have been in for 15 years, and my decision to embark on a path of soulful creativity…learning how to move my soul to substance in this one life I, as Stacie, get to lead.
Your blog, your words and your journey have helped me in more ways than I can possibly state here. Thank you. We are all so worth it! I love Brene’s style of teaching too…she really rocks!
I AM WORTH IT! i am absolutely 100% WORTH IT!!
thanks for this fantastic giveaway
I am worth it :-) And so are you! :-)
i am so so so worth it!
xo
I’m worth it!
I’ve heard so much about this DVD lately, and if I don’t win a copy, I’ll definitely be looking into purchasing one.
i AM worth it!
“I’m Worth It” I can talk the talk, but I’d really like to walk the walk.
I am worth it.
: )
Thank you, always.
I am DEFINITELY worth it
I am worth it.
Beautiful – thank you.
I am SO worth it!
Thank you for your inspiring thoughts…it came at a much needed moment in my life. :)
i am worth it.
I am worth it!
Im worth it, im worth it im worth it…IM WORTH IT! (whew that felt great!)
I Am Worth It!
Thank you for asking us to remind ourselves of our worth. Such a freeing and loving task.
Worth it. But boy was it hard to type…had a little hesitation in my heart and held breath. I didn’t expect that.
I’M WORTH IT! AND so are my friends that I would love to watch it with!!
I AM WORTH it!!!!! Boy, I sure could use this!!! I’ve been through so much with my helping my Mom with her health and helping my Dad help my Mom that my own health went to the dogs. So this would lift my spirits and get me up to see the light!!! I AM WORTH it!!!!!!!
Thank you for your time,
B.
I am worth it!
I had to read your words several times before it sunk in. It is hard to keep in touch with my pure self when so many people and things pull at me. Be aware and say ‘I am worth it’ to myself every morning.
thank you for your immense generosity and poetic storytelling. your journey is a tremendous inspiration. gracias.
i am worth it. xo
i’m worth it.
(found you through leonie wise’s brilliant blog).
& thank you for this offer, with love.
I really love your writing, I haven’t put my finger on what it is, but I really do. thank you for it.
I’m worth having a new boyfriend, being a great writer, (maybe an artist), being a mother, being a friend, and having real, lasting happiness.
I Am Worth It!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i AM worth it!!!
I am worth it – I need to practice this every morning.
I’m worth it. And you are too. :-)
I’m worth it!
I am sooooo TOTALLY worth it!!! :) YAY!
I’m worth it, we all are :]
I am worth it. Yes I am
I’m worth it. You’re worth it. The connection is worth everything.
I’m worth it!!
fake it til you make it!!
I’m worth it!
* I’M WORTH IT *
thank you so much for this giveaway and for the strong reminder!
I am SOOOOOO worth it, and if that weren’t enough, so is my husband! Would love to snuggle up and watch this with him!
at a time right now when I’m struggling with confidence in a big way, this would be very timely.
YES I AM WORTH IT! x
I AM WORTH IT! Thank you!! Authenticity, worthiness – YES!! xox
i am sooooooooo worth it!
valgo la pena!
I’m worth it!!
oh baby you know I’m worth it!
i’m worth it!
I’m worth it, really, we all are. xo
I am worth it! I would really love to watch this video… Ive been reading her alot lately.
I am worth it! Sometimes hard to say out loud… even a bit hard to write somedays! I am worth it!
I’M WORTH IT! =)
PS: was just musing over lunch with a friend yesterday…why is it that the things we want the most, we spend the most time putting off? i swear, all the time i spend dreaming about something, i could just expend the same effort into actually DOING it. gah.
YESSSSSS…I am soooo worth it!!
I’m worth it, yes indeedy!!!
very inspiring post
I am worth it!
i’m worth it,
i’m worth it,
i’m worth it,
i’m worth it…
i am.
I’m worth it!
I am worth it ! (and I look forward to purchasing Brené’s new book) … thank you for your giveaway post :)
I am worth it!
You are worth it!
We are worth it!
Definitely! We rock this journey.
♥
I’M WORTH IT!!!! SO WORTH IT XXX
i AM worth it! feels great to write that on a gloomy friday morning ;) just stumbled across this blog via another and can’t wait to return.
I am Definately Worth It!!
p.s. and so is all the other wonderful sisters above!!
I am worth it!! :)
I AM worth it.
I am gradually undertaking the process of finding my true authentic self, and reading this post has really given me so much to think about, I will return to re-read, meditate on your words and take inspiration from them again and again. I think you’ve clarified for me what I’ve been struggling towards- that I need to be my most authentic self, and only by doing that can I really honour myself and be truly worth it.
I am totally worth it.
I AM worth it and I AM enough………
Thanks
Christine
i’m worth it
I AM WORTH IT. Now that was good.
i am SO worth it!!!!!
Even though med school tells me NO NO NO every single day:
I AM worth it.
I am worth it!!!!!
I AM WORTH IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AND SO ARE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WE ARE ALL WORTH IT!!!!!!!!!!!!
Um, so I think I just scared the deaf neighbor next door as she saw me screaming and shaking my head as I type this.
SHE’S WORTH IT TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m SO worth it! =D
I’m worth it.
I’m worth it! :)
I am worth it! I am worth it! I am worth it! I am worth it! I am worth it! I am worth it! I am worth it! I am worth it! :)
I am worth it! and that is enough :-)
I’m worth it!!Regardless!
I am worth it, and more…
I’m worth it. And thank you for this great post! It came at the perfect time.
My continuing unemployed state has been making me doubt it but…I AM worth it! I know I am!
Gosh darnit–I’m worth it!
i´m worth it!
“I” am worth it!
I am worth it! Worthy of all good.
I’m here via Sarah Ji – hope it’s okay if I crash the party. A really excellent post.
I’m worth it! =)
I am worth it! Worthy of all good.
I am totally worth it
I am worth it… I am trying every day to believe that.
I am worth it… That was even difficult to type. And I totally need this.
I be werth it, baby!!!
i so want to see/hear this lecture!
I am worth it! Even if i don’t win, i am worth it enough to plunk down some $$ for this!
i want to believe … i want to mentor my daughter in knowing this truth.
I’m definitely worth it!
“well our dog use to try and do that and she does not do it any more as a result of we tend to have shown her her own food and repeatedly said to her this is often (your dogs name) food repeatedly again. conjointly if we tend to saw the dog take it and it is still in his/her mouth we tend to take it out and not allow them to finish it. if that does not work then you may additionally place a little i mean a very little bit of salad dressing in wit there food and each day place less and fewer until they do not even understand that it’s not there we have a tendency to did this with our dog and it worked. if not then i might talk to the vet. However i can surly say that it can work. good luck”
Food and Play is what Chuck E Cheese is all concerning with, I think, less stress on food. They sell largely pizzas though sub sandwiches are available. The pizzas are terribly plain tasting and a touch hard.
My Sharp convecetion microwave is :blowing. I really like the convection half of the oven (haven’t tried the grilling part however).