It’s not easy being me when I’m tired, intolerant, irritated, needy, hungry, fed up, lonely, pissed off, scared, in fear of losing what I have or in fear of not getting what I want, disappointed, hurt, upset, frustrated, dissatisfied, despairing, eating badly, eating too much or too little, comparing myself to others and always coming off worse, angry, cold, resentful, depressed…

The true antidote cannot be found in alcohol, chocolate, daytime TV, sex, gambling, shopping, drugs, baking and eating the whole cake, duvet diving or being mean to someone, or towards yourself.

The true antidote is acceptance: acceptance of the feelings and acceptance of yourself in this moment.  When you accept what you are feeling, by definition you accept yourself.  And this, my friend, will help to shift your state.

You won’t always feel like this, but if you resist the feelings and tell yourself you shouldn’t be having them, and you try to deny them by covering them up with the aforementioned techniques, they won’t go away.  They’ll be back to bite  you in the bum when you’re not looking and you’ll wonder why you feel low in energy, or tight in your shoulders, or generally heavy in your being.

Welcome the feelings; each and every one.  Don’t beat yourself up about having them and don’t beat yourself up for not being perfect; acknowledge how you feel and accept yourself; your feelings are here to tell you something and if you were just to take the time to listen, to breathe into them, to ask why they’re here, you will be able to heal.

And then you’ll find that it becomes easier to be who you are, in your skin, because you can take whatever you feel and live through it, by engaging instead of avoiding. 

And then who knows what will happen?  You might have an important realisation; you might just decide to take it a little easier, have a bath, light a candle, tuck yourself up with a good book or a hot water bottle.  Take care of yourself and then, it may become easier…being you.