Practices to learn to love yourself through guilt, shame, trauma, and scars Shame tells you to hide. Guilt tells you to pay forever. Trauma tells you you’re not safe. Scars can make you feel marked. But healing is possible—and self-love can be learned in small, steady practices. 1) Separate guilt from shame - **Guilt:** “I did something wrong.” (can lead to repair) - **Shame:** “I am wrong.” (leads to hiding) Practice: When shame shows up, rewrite it: *“I made mistakes, but

When someone hurts you, it can feel confusing to hear “love them anyway.” Love doesn’t mean pretending it didn’t happen. It doesn’t mean staying close, staying available, or accepting more harm. Sometimes the most loving thing you can do—for them and for you—is to step back. You can love difficult people from a distance by choosing peace over proximity. You can wish them well without giving them access to your heart, your home, or your daily life. Distance isn’t bitterness; i

**Title:** Finding Space Through Shared Grace If you’ve been carrying the weight of feeling unseen, misunderstood, or “too much” for others—this is for you. When guilt, shame, and loneliness pile up, it can feel like you’re stuck in a dark room with no door. But God’s acceptance is not something you earn by getting it all together. It’s something you receive—right where you are. ## God’s acceptance isn’t based on your performance Shame says, “You are what you did.” Guilt says

I still remember the first day the Central Mass Rail Trail felt walkable again—not “technically possible if you’re careful,” not “watch for black ice,” but truly walkable. After a long winter of snow and ice, that difference matters. It’s the difference between bracing your shoulders and holding your breath, and letting your body exhale. This winter had asked a lot of me. The snow kept coming, the temperatures stayed stubborn, and every day I went to work I had the same thoug

Wellness isn’t a finish line—it’s a relationship. A daily returning. Some days it looks like movement, nourishing food, or better sleep. Other days it looks like sitting still long enough to notice what your heart has been carrying. Journaling is one of the simplest, most powerful wellness practices because it helps you slow down and tell the truth—first to yourself, and then, if you choose, to God. Why journaling supports wellness When life feels loud, our thoughts can becom

Idividuals with BPD frequently have a history of childhood sexual abuse (44.44% in some studies), and the combination of SA, PTSD, and BPD often leads to higher rates of suicidality, self-harm, and severe, chronic clinical presentations. ScienceDirect.com +2 Key Connections Between SA, BPD, and PTSD Rooted in Trauma: SA, particularly in childhood, is strongly linked to the development of BPD. Shared Symptoms: Both BPD and PTSD stem from trauma (often complex trauma) and s

Anxiety & Depression: faith doesn’t erase pain, but it can hold you through it Anxiety can feel like your mind is always running—replaying conversations, predicting worst-case outcomes, tightening your chest before anything even happens. Depression can feel like the lights dim inside you—like motivation disappears, joy feels far away, and even simple tasks become heavy. Sometimes they show up together, and sometimes they take turns. Either way, you are not a bad Christian for

New Years The winds of time Twenty, twenty five You came with your own unique flare Celebration chinese food a pastime The ball drop in Time square such a delight No more Dick Clark Still the glitz and glam Is out of sight Colorful, the lights Music, love, laughter on a cold winters night Melancholy, for years gone past Missing, so many Of what yesteryear had to offer No more Wolf Man Jack Parents, no longer earthly Close in heart Twenty, twenty six On your way a little Mozar

Spring cleaning is an opportunity to hit refresh on certain aspects of your life. It’s a chance to get rid of things that aren’t serving...

Spring Written By Tracey Stankus 3/9/2025 The long dark days of winter are behind us Clocks have jumped ahead The lovely glow of spring...

1/23/25 A sad day- Mommy, Daddy and Princess- Miss you so The silence is deafening The echoes of your essence remain I look for you...

Tracey Stankus 12/27/24 Wow, such a festive holiday season. “Running here and there” Another New England winter in the hustle of it all....

Thanksgiving a time to pause, gather with loved ones, acknowledge life's gifts, give thanks, share words of love and encouragement. A...

Written By: Tracey Stankus 11/13/24 Seems in this world you open your heart to someone and many times it is meant with distain. Your...

The sun glistens around the trees and sparkles on the slow flowing fog covered river. The leaves are wet beneath my feet. The soil is...

9/15/24-Written by Tracey Stankus Healing trust the process It is September 2024 another summer has passed. My grandson has started...

Mornings can be rough for many people who tend to feel sleepy regularly, which in turn makes them report feeling irritable a lot of...

Experiencing back pain? Here’s what two podiatrists recommend for choosing shoes that won’t harm and might help The right shoes can help...

8 Reasons You Aren’t Losing Weight Weight loss isn’t always a simple equation — other factors, both internal and external — may be...

Beauty abound Beauty surrounds Every day there are wonders Stillness to ponder Air to feel and smell Places to see just swell God is all...