As adults, we have so much fear of losing approval. We pretend all the time in order to be accepted by others, creating a false image that
we present to the world, hiding our true feelings behind a rigid mask.

But when we do this, we are abandoning ourselves. Other people’s approval is a weak and changeable alternative to self love. It will
never be enough to fully satisfy us, for if we have to modify ourselves
in order to be loved, how can we ever feel comfortable in our own skin?

On the journey back to love of self, speaking the truth and showing yourself as you really are are essential. This is scary at first: as we
start to expose the parts of ourselves we have learnt to judge, the fear
of rejection is unavoidable.

But speaking the truth is like a muscle; it’s the muscle of the heart. The more you use that muscle, that consciousness of being
truthful, the stronger it will be. The truth becomes an energy that
moves out; it is the energy of the heart.

What is an image? It’s a copy of something else. But you are a diamond. Unique, brilliant, transparent; radiating light.

Any false image will be a sorry shadow of that unmatchable luminosity.

An image is a copy; it’s not truth. It doesn’t come from the heart. It is a worthless fake.

Be original. Be yourself, and love that uniqueness completely. Then you will finally feel approved of, because you will be approving
yourself.