I think it was Ralph Waldo Emerson who said

To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.

I completely agree. Sometimes, it seems like each day is a struggle to figure out who I am, to remember it and to live and breathe it in my actions, my words and my choices. Days when self-doubt is the demon that requires repeated slaying.

And then there are the other times. Those all-to-rare days when I feel completely myself and completely at ease. Days when I know that despite the hard decisions, my heart and my life are in alignment. Days which replenish my soul and re-stoke my fires.

Days like this past weekend.

Days away with amazing women who listen and support and never doubt for a minute that I am perfect just the way I am.

Days spent exploring the beach, listening to birdsong and attuning with nature.

Days spent listening, reading and eating good food made with love. Days of quiet solitude and burst of laughter. Days of story-telling, sharing wisdom and  confiding secrets.

Days when I have time to stop, slow down, notice the little things. Time to consider things from another perspective.

Days where all the worries leave me and I know that everything will be okay. That I will be okay.

Days that help me be myself. Not just for the weekend but hopefully for all the days to come.