Self Love Challenge 2025 Day 9 - Share Your Smile!

She is in you. She is in me. She is in the world we see. As Radha, she is romance: flirtatious and enchanting. She is that playful smirk, teasing glance and charming smile. She is joy, cheerfulness, laughter and bliss. She is in the conviction that love is worth any pain, and the confidence that love is incomparable. She is love that is unconditional and unbroken. She is our ability to give completely, wholly, and forever. We see Radha in us when we boldly express our affection and as devotion, when our hearts love so completely. We see her in love that fulfils itself. 

Sita is loyalty and commitment. She is the willingness to do whatever it takes to see our loved ones happy, to ensure the best for everyone. Supported by inner strength and conviction, she is the ability to continue even when the world does not make it easy. She is in you. She is in me. She is in the world we see. We recognize her spirit as the eye of the storm, and the flowers growing through the cracks in the rocks. She lives on in every heart that is strengthened by love. 

Saraswati is the creativity in art, music, poetry, drama and dance. She is speech and communication which connects and conveys. She is knowledge: the ability to recognize, distinguish, asses and reason. She is the curiosity that discovers and answers. She is in you. She is in me. She is in the world we see.  We see her in or talents, expressions and appreciation of originality. She is the wit in our humor, the wisdom in our visio and the insight into ourselves and others. How much of her expression can you see today and recognize always? 

Lakshmi, usually seen as wealth of diamonds, gold, and pearls is also the riches of the Earth - minerals, metals, food, wood, and clay. She is our home. She is all our resources, and she is resourceful. She is the wealth of love that enriches our lives, and also the inner wealth of virtues and good character. She is all things we treasure.  She is in you. She is in me. She is in the world we see. Lakshmi is in the potency by which we make things happen, our efficiency in action, our ease that comes with experience. But mostly, we see her in our acts of charity and altruism. She is also the sparkle of contentment, carefreeness, security and happiness in our eyes. We are constantly looking for wealth, maybe forgetting how much of it we already have.   

Kali is freedom unhibited. A boundless force, she is always present in the moment, magnificent, spontaneous and open.  How unbound are you? By your desires, by judgements and comments? She is in you. She is in me. She is in the world we see. We see her in ourselves when we dance with abandon or sing at the top ofour voices. We see her when we spontaneously rise to the occasion or when we successfully defuse tension. We also see her when someone appears both scary and inspiring at the same time. 

As Parvati, she is love, pure and devout. She is the resolve to refine and perfect. She is the earnest striving of austerity and penance. She is the constant remembrance without distraction. She is the strength to lift ourselves by ourselves. She sublimates the negativities and invokes divinity. She is our ability to transform, to metamorphose. She is in you. She is in me. She is in the world we see. We see her in us when we close our eyes in concentrated prayer. She becomes alive when we fill our hearts with love and surrender to the higher. We see her in our loyalty to our beliefs as we stay true to them. Her presence is in the hymns that touch our hearts. How is she in you? Have you invoked it recently?

Durga Devi is known to be powerful, dynamic, tenacious, awe-inspiring. She is confident and serene. She destroys to transform us. She is strong and gentle. She is in you. She is in me. She is in the world we see. We can see her in our hearts when we choose to do that which is right, even if it may be the harder thing to do. She is in us when we persist in the face of obstacles.  She shines in our firmness of resolve. She is our strength.  She is in the beauty of the world.  She is Durga.   

Let's unravel the mystery of Universal powers! Yes, they exist, and we can invoke and tip into them. Some of these powers are masculine, others feminine. In Hindu scriptures, these powers are brought to life in the form of Devi and Devata. The more we understand the universal laws and powers, the more me we can harness (manifest) them in our hearts and our lives, bringing about a personal transformation! "Who is She?" discusses the myriad ways we can take inspiration from iconic, multi-faceted images of femininity, and invoke their powers towards a more fulfilling everyday existence be it at work, home, in relationships or with our self-worth.    

Self-love isn't a destination; it's a lifelong practice. 💕 Today, let's remind ourselves of the beauty of love—how it transforms, heals, and uplifts us. 📚 Today's task: Dive into "I Love You Letters" by Gurudev H.H. Swami Chinmayananda ji. This inspiring read explores the art of love and reminds us that love is a skill we can nurture and master. The more we understand love, the more we can embrace ourselves unconditionally. 🌈 💭 Why it matters: Loving yourself is the foundation of a fulfilling life. The more you practice, the stronger and brighter your love for yourself and others will grow. Let's carry this self-love journey forward, one step at a time.

We all make mistakes—it's part of being human. But how often do we carry the weight of regret, replaying those moments over and over? It's time to let go. 🌬️ 🌟 Today's focus: Forgiveness. Not for others, but for YOU. Forgiving yourself is an act of self-love. It's a way of saying, "I'm learning, I'm growing, and I deserve peace."