Going through a difficult time?

SELF-LOVE – INNER BONDING – HEALING

How are you feeling about where you are in the wheel of the year? Are you facing challenges in one or more of your root areas—health, family, relationships, career, or friends?

For me, the relationship root, which usually fulfills my need for love and connection, has been tested by a recent breakup. This challenge has pushed me to examine how I meet that need and to shift its source. Instead of relying on a partner for love and validation, I’m learning to self-source it from within.

Why Self-Love Matters in Hard Times

Focusing on self-love during challenging periods, especially when grieving a loss, can be the key to both healing and empowerment. Ending the relationship taught me a powerful truth: real love starts with me.

In the past, I sought comfort and soothing from a new relationship. This time, I chose differently. I leaned into self-soothing practices, reached out to trusted friends, and worked with trained professionals to help heal childhood wounds and old relationship patterns. As a result, I am preparing to enter my next relationship whole, healthy, and grounded.

The Cost of Relying on Others for Love

Self-love skills are essential in every root area of life. Too often, pain comes from expecting others to provide the love we crave. When they fall short, we experience disappointment, disillusionment, and heartbreak. However, when we learn to source love from within, we avoid neediness, build self-trust, and strengthen our resilience.

Reflection Questions for Self-Sourcing Love

Consider taking time to reflect on these questions:

Where in your life do you rely on others to meet your needs?
When have you felt disappointed or heartbroken because others didn’t meet your expectations?
Have you felt victimized by their actions or inactions?
Where can you take responsibility for the outcome? Did they agree to the expectations you had of them?
Could you have met that need yourself? If so, why did you expect it from them?
What can you do now to self-generate what you’ve been seeking from others?

Moving Forward with Self-Love

If you’re looking for tools to make sense of what’s happening in your life and to build lasting self-love, explore my Root-to-Rise program on Teachable. It offers practical steps to help you heal, grow, and reconnect with the love already inside you.

Love yourself, and love life.

Bruce Lamborn