Episode 16: Loving the Woman in the Mirror-Even on The Hard Days.

Transcript

Maxine Bingham: 0:01

Hey, beautiful souls. Welcome back to Soulfully Aligned. You are listening to episode 16, loving the woman in the mirror even on the hard days. This podcast is dedicated to helping you connect with your inner truth, find your purpose, and create a life that feels more authentic and abundant. I am your host Maxine. And I'm so grateful to have you here with me today For too long, so many of us have carried the weight of silence. We have muted our voices, shrank in rooms where we should stand tall, questioning if we are even enough. In this season, we are breaking that silence. We are on muting. We are reclaiming our voices. Shed in the shame of wanting more and rising into the unstoppable women we were always meant to be. Every episode will be a journey into healing the parts of us that feels invisible into loving the woman in the mirror, even on the hardest days into redefining success on our own terms. And into discovering the unshakable truth of your worth. So if you have ever felt unseen, unheard or underestimated, then this episode is most certainly for you. Together we will rise not by hustling harder or proving more. But by standing in your truth unapologetically and whole again, welcome to season two. She rises from invisible to unstoppable. Your voice, your worth, your rise. In a world that constantly tells us who we should be, it is so easy to lose sight of who we truly are. We are always striving for the next promotion, the perfect relationship, the ideal body. But what happens when we pause and turn that focus inward? What happens when we finally look in the mirror and offer the woman staring back at us the same compassion that we so freely give to others? That's what we are diving into today. Our episode is titled, loving the Woman in the Mirror, even on her Hardest Days. We are going to spend the next few minutes exploring five key parts of this journey, each one a step toward healing, acceptance, and peace. In the first part, we are going to look at the pain and the mirror, the raw, honest moments when you question your worth. In part two, the spiritual practice of self-compassion. Part three, sustaining the love in your daily life. Part four, when you don't feel worthy of love. Of love. And in our final part, part five, becoming her again. So get ahead, grab that cup of water or the cup of tea, coffee, whatever it is that's going to take to make you very comfortable as you are listening to this podcast. Now take a deep breath and let's get soulfully aligned. In this first part, the pain and the mirror, we are going to get real and incredible vulnerable. I want to talk about the woman in the mirror. You do know her, am I correct? She is the one who shows up for everyone, the flawless LinkedIn profile, the color coded calendar, the woman who makes it look effortless. She is strong, she is capable, and she is a force. But sometimes when you look in the mirror, you see more than the polished professional. You see the tired eyes that tells stories that no one else hears. You see the parts of you barely holding it together while the world praises your strength. I know this woman. Because I am this woman, and I remember there was a time when I looked in the mirror and didn't recognize the woman that was staring back at me. It was during my season of depression. No matter how hard, I tried to remain joyful by cracking jokes, showing up for others, keeping my sarcasm as a shield. I was still deeply unhappy. What I saw when I looked at myself was a woman who was lost, a woman with no direction, no hope. No matter how hard I tried to return to the woman full of life, she remained hidden, quiet, somber. She wondered about her purpose, about the reason for her existence. I felt stuck like I was standing in quicksand, sinking slowly with no one to pull me out. It was like being at a red light that had a turned green and still I just couldn't press the gas pedal to go. I had lost hope in the promises. God had spoken over my life. Giving up was never who I was, but this time I just did not care. That month showed no grace or mercy towards me. Even my tears could not soothe the pain that I carried. It took time to notice the woman staring back once again, but eventually I saw glimpses of her. In my eyes, in my smile, and I long to return to that tenacious, hopeful woman. Did I return? Yes, I did, but it did not happen overnight. I had to remind myself that I was enough, even if no one else said so. I had to be my own cheerleader, even if I was the only one. Clapping on the sidelines. I practice positive self-talk until it became a form of prayer. And now when I look in the mirror, I see her starting to fade. I remind her of where she came from, where she's going, and who she is. She is strong. Beautiful. And worthy, I know the ache of not enoughness not being thin enough, not feeling young enough or strong enough, but our souls whisper a gentler truth. We were never meant to do it all without resting, without love, or without grace. There are days when the woman in the mirror still feels like a stranger to me. Even when you are thriving on the outside, you can still feel empty on the inside. That ache, that quiet disconnect or trust me, it is very real. It is not weakness. It is just a divine invitation. To return to yourself. So today we do not hide from that pain. We lean into it with grace, look into the mirror, and I want you to whisper. I see you. I love you, and I am going to take care of you. This isn't about fixing yourself. It is about remembering who you are. So go ahead, breathe in grace and exhale judgment because the woman looking back at you is not a project to be fixed. She is a miracle to be honored. Part two, the spiritual practice of self-compassion. So now we're going to move from acknowledging the pain to actively healing it. Self-compassion is not just a nice concept, it is sacred work. It is the quiet daily practice of meeting yourself with kindness instead of criticism. For many of us, compassion does not come naturally. We have been taught to push harder. To perform better, to never let them see us break. But what if compassion not perfection is what makes us whole Once more, one of the most powerful tools we have is the mirror itself. The next time you feel that wave of self-doubt or shame, I want you to stand in front of your mirror, look directly into your eyes. Not at your flaws, but at your truth. Then I want you to breathe and let your shoulders drop and simply say, I love you. I accept you, and I am here for you. Always. Sure. At first it's going to feel awkward. It may even seem silly to you. But stay with it because this is not vanity. This is healing. You are entering a sacred conversation, a divine dialogue with your own soul. When you speak to yourself with tenderness, heaven leans in and listens. Every kind word becomes a prayer. A declaration that you are enough. Another beautiful practice is to treat yourself like your best friend. Think about her. The one who always shows up for you, who's seen you cry and still believes in your light. If she were struggling the way that you are, you would not tell her to toughen up. You would hold her. Remind her, she's doing her best and tell her that she is loved. So why? Why not offer yourself the same kindness? Self-compassion is a radical act of love. It is what rebuilds the spirit. After years of performance and perfectionism, I want you to remember, you are not your to-do list. You are not your mistakes. You are not your productivity. You are a divine being loved, chosen, and cherished beyond measure, and it is time that you start loving yourself that also. Part three. Sustaining the love in your daily life, you have acknowledged the pain. So far you have practiced compassion. Now, how do you make this love sustainable? The key is integration. Your professional life and your spiritual life, they are not separate. The same grace you show yourself in front of the mirror should walk with you into every meeting, every decision, and every part of your day. When you feel the pressure to be perfect, I want you to take a pause and then take one slow breath. And remember, your worth is not tied to productivity. Your value is inherent. Create small daily rituals that remind you of that truth. It could be a five minute meditation before you open your laptop, or it could be a whispering or short prayer of gratitude before you step into a big presentation. Or maybe it's simply closing your eyes in the middle of a stressful day and saying. God, I surrender this moment. Bring me back to peace. These are sacred anchor points. They are little moments that root you back into love. And remember, this journey is not about perfection. You are going to have difficult days, and yes, you will also stumble, but the goal is not to never fall, but it is to catch yourself with kindness when you do, to look in the mirror and say, that was hard, but you know what? I am still here and I am still trying and I still love myself. This is what strength looks like, the strength to be imperfectly, beautiful, and soulfully you. Part four when you don't feel worthy of love. So we have talked about pain, compassion, and sustaining love. But there is one emotion that can quietly undo all of it. That whisper that says, I don't deserve this love. This is the feeling of unworthiness for so many professional women. Worth is tied to performance. We confuse what we do with who we are. We think love, even self love. Has to be earned. It becomes this cruel. If I do more, if I hold everyone else together, then maybe I'll finally deserve peace. But here is the truth. Your worth is not a reward. It is your birthright. Your soul is a sacred flame. It does not burn brighter when you win, and it does not dim when you fall short. It simply is. That alone makes you worthy of every ounce of love and grace in this world. When that sting of unworthiness rises up, I want you to shift your energy from earning to receiving. Earning is very exhausting, but receiving, yes, that is opening in this first step. Acknowledge the lie when you are feeling that you're not enough or when that sentence, I am not enough enters your mind. I want you to simply say, ah. There is that old story rearing its ugly head. Thank you. But now I know the truth. You do not have to fight the thought. You just don't have to believe it anymore. Step two, open to grace. Now close your eyes and I want you to visualize a gentle golden light pouring over you. It's warm. Unconditional love from your creator and it asks for nothing in return, it whispers. I choose to receive the love that is already here. Step three, the divine reflection. The next time you look in the mirror, go beyond acceptance. Begin to honor the woman that you see. Look into her eyes, and I want you to say, you are a precious soul. You are worthy of everything, beautiful. This is alignment. It is the moment that you remember who you were always meant to be. You are worthy not because of what you do, but simply because of who you are. Part five, becoming her again. We have walked through the pain, compassion, sustainability, and unworthiness. Now it is time to bring it all together in a powerful act of reclamation. So welcome to becoming her again. So who is her? She is the woman you were before the world told you to shrink, before you learned to dim your light just so you could be accepted. She is your essential self radiant, intuitive, free. Becoming her again is not transformation. It is returning home. It is a process of unbecoming everything that is not you. She has been there all along waiting for your acknowledgement. Here are some sacred action steps that you can take. Step one, reclaim joyful movement. Your body is not a project, it is a prayer. So move it with joy. Go ahead. Dance in your kitchen. Stretch in the sunlight. Walk in stillness because movement is how you remind your soul that you are still alive. Step two, honor, intuitive time. Create space in your schedule for moments that do not need to be productive. Ask yourself, what does my soul need at this moment? Then honor the answer without the guilt. Step three, practice bold authenticity. Stop apologizing for your light, speak your truth even when your voice shakes. Set the boundary even when it feels uncomfortable. When you show up as your whole unfiltered self, you are loving your freedom in real time. The woman you are becoming? No, she's not perfect, but she is real. She has scars and light wisdom and wonder, and she embraces it all. She is not waiting to be chosen because she has already chosen herself. The woman, her? Yes, she is. You. So I want you to continue to love her and step into the woman she is rising to become. Thank you so much for joining me on this deeply personal journey. It takes courage to look in the mirror and love what you see, especially when the world gives you so many reason not to, but remember. The most important relationship you will ever have is the one you have with yourself. Nurture it, cherish it. Treat the woman in the mirror like the miracle that she is. She is divine beauty in motion. Keep returning to her. Speak kindly forgive. Thank her for staying. Love her. Even when it's difficult. As we step into this new season together, I want you to remember this truth. You were never meant to stay invisible. Every part of you, your voice, your story, your presence, it all matters. And this season. It's about reclaiming that truth. As you listen each week, let these words stir something inside you. Let them remind you of who you are and what you deserve. So if today's message spoke to your soul, share this episode with another woman who may need to hear it. And if you're ready to go deeper. Stay connected. I'll be sharing ways we can rise together beyond the podcast. This is your season. This is your time. This is your rise. Thank you so much for being here. Thank you for listening, and thank you for choosing yourself. Until next time, remember. Your voice, your worth, your rise. This is, she rises from invisible to unstoppable. This is soulfully aligned.