It was 1993, and I was 24 years old, having what I now call
my “quarter-life crisis.” I was a physical, mental and emotional mess. I went to the library and took out every book I could on self-help. I sat on the floor of my run-down rental house, stopped drinking and partying, and I read one book at a time to help move me forward in a positive way.
I remember the Saturday night I stayed home to read Living, Loving, Learning by Leo Buscaglia. I was sitting on my couch, and though I didn’t have any money, the money I was saving not drinking all the time, gave me a little extra money for a small pizza. I remember that day. It was one of the many that set me on my path to wanting to be a better person, and the author Leo Buscaglia sounded like the kindest man in the world.
I saved that book, and last weekend I read that book again. It took me right back to being that brave young woman who wanted to change. I underlined this part of the book, and I remember reading it and thinking, I want to be that person. “You are all you have. Therefore, make yourself the
most beautiful, tender, wonderful, fantastic person in the world. And then you will always survive.” I wanted to survive. I wanted to take better care of myself and live a wonderful, fantastic life.
I finished the book, and on the last few pages, there was a stain where I
dropped pizza on the book. I touched the page and smiled. My life is 100% different than I ever thought it would be. Since that day, I have made small choices to love the woman in the mirror. To believe I was worthy. No one taught me how to do that. I learned how. Let’s spend this fall learning how together.
I am pulling the following quote from my latest book, Embrace the 90%, as I think it helps relay the message.
“Let’s stop passing a mirror and seeing what we don’t like, and instead look right into
that mirror and say, “I love you” to the person who stares back at you.”
