Finding "Kate"

Dear Penny,

Thank you for sending me the postive word replacement challenge. I've been working on it every day! Awhile back I posted (on Facebook) that I had 'lost me', and I wanted to find 'me' again. Well, since I have replaced that negative feeling with a positive awareness, it just came to me the other day...I haven't lost me, I found the me that has been screaming out for me to pay some attention to myself. I've always put others first, always. I've always given 110% to my job. I've always been the organizer, the doer, the person that others would come and dump projects on because they knew I would devote 110% to it while they sat back and took some 'self time'. The diseases I am suffering with have forced me to take notice of the little girl and the beautiful lonely person inside of me. IC has forced me to come to the front of the class (so to speak), and give myself some personal time. I never used to give myself time to nap or rest because there was always something that needed to be done for someone and right NOW! I've finally had time to give to me. My family whom I have served for most of my life have found time in their days to help me along this journey of discovering me.

I think your positive lesson was the spark that lit a fire to my need for awareness. It's not a selfish awareness at all. I've learned to praise myself and tell myself that I AM a GREAT PERSON inside AND out and great people take time to nurture one another. I have found a sense that I am my own personal hero. I like what I see! I like to give, but realize that I must fill my own bucket first!"

Love,

Kate