2019 C&C Self Care Summit

Create&Cultivate’s 2019 Self Care Summit was pretty cool.

Besides having fun activities like Tarot and Crystal Readings, Aura Photographs (yup, that's a thing), beauty and skincare experts giving girls makeovers, and panels about the all-new weed industry, and awesome women rocking the wellness one, and more, it made me realize something: mental health and self-care are here to stay.

When we talk about self-care, though, we tend to picture a day in the spa or getting our nails did, but it is more than just that. Self-love (and self-care) is about embracing our dark sides and being okay with them. It's about loving them harder. We're all made of light and darkness. We all have strengths and opportunities to grow, so we just need to find a healthy balance, and tweak those things we're not happy with.

I used to hate the fact that I was really hard on myself and on the people I love the most, for example. It made me feel guilty without realizing it, and I used to (subconsciously) punish myself for it. It wasn't until I understood where that "need" came from, that I was able to see this "weakness" of mine with loving eyes, and be more understanding, patient and gentle.

Not gonna lie, it still happens from time to time. But every day, I try to work on it; to love a little harder.

We're crazily programmed machines, and unlearning unhealthy patterns we've carried with us through the years can be tough. But, as long as we're aware of those little things that we can change, it is a matter of practice and time until we reach the coolest versions of ourselves. Just, try to recognize and work on them.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, my aura is color red!

Mindfully,
Sam.