Hey Beautiful friend,

Welcome to this week’s LoveGram. I’m happy you are here. I’m happy to be here with YOU!

Today, I send you a suitcase large enough to fit your huge, generous heart.

I send you the biggest, most prominent seat at the table.

I send you that feeling of being filled up with worthiness and self-love.

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In today’s LoveGram, we talk about what it feels like to try to squeeze ourselves into a container that is not quite the right size.

I ask the question, for all of us, “What is the YOU-size and will you allow yourself to ease into it and be as YOU as you possibly can?”

How can we give ourselves real permission to express who we are, even when we feel like who we are is not the “right person”?

(To listen to the audio, just click over to this page, scroll down, and hit “play” on the audio player.)

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Here are the Cliff’s Notes. (Remember those? Those little black and gold booklets that gave the gist of novels without any of the poetry of the writing. And, yeah, when I looked up the name I was shocked that it wasn’t Cliff Notes, but Cliff’s!)

I’m headed on a three-week trip. I thought the really kind thing to do for myself would be to take a carry-on suitcase. After all, I’m traveling from Paris to Toulouse to Barcelona to Seville to Lisbon. There will surely be a lot of trains and metros and stairs and what-have-yous. I will be up and down a lot of stairs and going to and fro.

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Now, what you need to know about me is that I don’t travel light. I never have.

If I go away for a weekend, I typically take ten bags. I take food and my yoga mat and seventeen books and project files and several changes of hats and … well, you get the picture.

I am not a “good” packer. I am not that girl who arrives with a tiny bag that looks like a purse and inside it is a bathing suit that doubles as an evening dress that doubles as hiking shorts.

We’ve all met her, right? Maybe you are her?!

But, nope. Not me.

In fact, I am a girl who usually travels with an extra-special, little, flowered suitcase just for my hats! I would have done really well back in 1902, lugging a few steamer trunks with me, happy as a clam.

However, here we are in 2022. And, somewhere buried in my consciousness is the belief that “a good person” is a minimalist. A “good person” is that handbag-carrying gal. A “good person” is someone who does not take up a lot of space.

So, long-story-short, I tried to test-pack last weekend and it was a disaster. I was so frustrated and sad. Those carry-on bags are teeny tiny! I couldn’t fit my orange and black happy shoes with the x’s and o’s like kisses and hugs all over them. I couldn’t fit my fun faux-fur coat. Yeesh, I couldn’t even squeeze in an umbrella!

I felt so disappointed in myself. And could feel the stress of it.

Thankfully, GRACE dropped in. (Thank you, universe!)

I often listen to a meditation as I am falling asleep. During the meditation, I heard a voice, as if someone were in the room with me. It said, “Honey, you are not a carry-on kinda gal.”

There was so much compassion and love in that voice I heard.

I suddenly felt so light and free. I could be ME! I could take a larger suitcase and check it. I wouldn’t overpack and make it too heavy to carry on stairs, but it would be bigger than that thimble-sized carry-on, for sure!

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This all brings to mind a favorite quote by ee cummings: “It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.”

Today’s audio LoveGram is all about that courage to step into who YOU are.

I was trying to squeeze myself into a carry-on size container, when really, I need a couple steamer trunks.

I hope you will listen and reflect on what this means to you.

You can find that audio here.

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I will be traveling for a few weeks. But that doesn’t mean I don’t love you!

I’ve scheduled a couple blogs to post for you while I am gone. That way, you will know you are on my mind, even as I pack my big ole trunk and fly across the ocean.

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While I’m away, I hope you will practice radical self-acceptance.

I can assure you, it is freeing and fun.

Seek celebration — even in dark corners,

Xo Sherry

 

P.S. Drat! I included some music on my audio, but missed my chance. I could have used the Peter, Paul, and Mary song, “Leaving on a Jet Plane!” (You can hum it to yourself right now!)

P.P.S. Last Wednesday, April 13th, The Mango Publishing Heart Wisdom Panel I facilitated was focused on “Fierce Kindness and Courage.”  I encourage you to watch the replay. It was very thought-provoking — especially the parts about when honesty is kind or not!