The birth of selfkind
It was about 5 years ago now that I stood in front of a mirror in my Brooklyn apartment, on the verge of another birthday, deep into the photo manipulation industry, and I asked myself why I was always so hard on myself. I watched almost 3 decades of my life pass always thinking, “Next year will be different” and like most women my age always wishing to be thinner or thinking everything would be better if I just fit in. Meanwhile, that type of thinking alongside a career in fashion and photography was becoming toxic. I wanted to change my mental voice to reflect who I saw myself as a person. I wanted to be okay with being a woman who knew she was a good friend and a kind soul and reveled in the fact that she could help others as she helped herself. I wanted to be kinder to myself, I wanted to be part of humankind that I could be proud of and as a result selfkind was born.
What is selfkind
Since I can remember I have always been a perfectionist. In fact, my kindergarten teacher told my Mom that she would never have to worry about me because I was my own worst critic. It took me many years to become aware enough to know and embrace this quality about myself. I am, in fact, my own worst critic. The problem with that is that I have not been very kind to myself nor have I paid attention along the way to all of my achievements. So, I started to take notice of who I was in the moment. I started writing notes to myself that I could carry with me to remind myself. I started selfkind. Selfkind is much more to me than a brand but instead it is an intention. It is my intention to share with the world my story in hopes that you will share yours in return. I want to create a safe space where it’s okay to be proud of ourselves and to talk about how we’re growing. In all reality, it is a place to feel human in every sense of the word.
What selfkind means to me
I am hopeful and aware. It’s an affirmation that I’ve come to know and love. Instead of a perfectionist or my own worst critic I have instead become hopeful and aware. That’s what selfkind means to me. It’s an opportunity for balance. It’s an exploration of my own journey and life knowing that it’s forever evolving and changing. It’s the hope that I can bend without breaking as new and old things transition in and out of my life. It is a journey into my own awareness where I can accept who I am now. Selfkind means more to me than any blog post could ever describe and I am very grateful to share this space with you so that we can talk about self-kindness and learn and grow together allowing selfkind to evolve as it will and as we, too, will.
Reflection
What does selfkind mean to you? Introduce yourself and comment below!