After the Rain: Gentle Reminders for Healing, Courage, and Self-Love

by Alexandra Elle

TIME MEDITATION What is time mending in your life? How is it teaching you to be transparent, patient, and graceful?

I was on a quest for togetherness and acceptance. Somebody, anybody, see me, love me, please.

Lessons are built through trial and error.

a person who needs fixing can’t mend anyone, themselves included.

While life is not meant to be done alone, it’s important to make room and hold space for intimate moments that don’t require company and praise to press forward.

It is no one else’s job to make me feel whole and good—only I can do that.

I am learning how to make meditation out of the mundane. Washing the dishes, walking to the mailbox, or even slicing a peach can teach me something. I will no longer miss these moments, because I am leaning deeper into paying attention.

VALIDATION MEDITATION What does validation look like in your life? Is it external or internal? Close your eyes, and take a moment to find a new way to validate yourself and your purpose.

you don’t possess people, you experience them.

I know that the work I did on myself opened me to the experience of falling deeply in love with the right person and gave me the tools to make that relationship work.

Love requires vulnerability.

You are deserving of opening your heart and letting love in. Don’t let the hurt of your past or the doubts of others deter you from building the life you long for.

I am capable of paving a new way for myself. I will do the work. Even in uncertainty, I can be great.

LOVE MEDITATION Think about what your love would taste like if it were a flavor. What would you like it to teach you on your journey toward it?

story. Facing my healing head-on has been a point of contention and growth that I’ve learned to find gratitude in. Pieces from my past still sting, but I wouldn’t have found my light without their undeniable presence.

Becoming who I wanted to be, and not adhering to what negative and external voices were saying, taught me how to stand in my power.

I learned to support myself in the ways I thought others should.

Being alone in the water was guiding me to dive deeper into my ability to show up fully for myself without the need to be carried by the love of someone else.

Transitions, big or small, are rarely straightforward. They require abandoning the parts of ourselves that feel safe and familiar. It is a massive task to intentionally choose change over comfort.

I am capable of leaning into my resilience. There will be people who can’t see it, but I will bloom to become despite who stops to appreciate my growth.

BECOMING MEDITATION Recall a moment when you started to notice that you were becoming your true self. What did it feel like and how has your becoming shaped you?

family is sown through unwavering love, authentic connection, and intentional choices.

I can make the hard choices that I’ve been avoiding. Those choices give me the courage to become who I say I want to be.

May you be brave enough to choose yourself even when others don’t. Healing is a soft and slow process.

FAMILY MEDITATION When you hear the word family, what comes to mind and how do you feel? Make a list in your journal of the joys and challenges you wrestle with when it comes to your familial relationships. Perhaps you’ve cultivated family in a nontraditional way. What does that look like?

You deserve this,

I can lean deep into my existence by deciding to breathe and be in the present moment. I am deserving of my time, company, and energy.

LEARNING TO BREATHE MEDITATION When is the last time you were in tune with your breath? Stop what you’re doing and take five deep breaths, in through your nose, out through your nose. Feel the rise and fall of your belly. Extend gratitude for your life. Even if things aren’t all good, be proud that you’ve made it this far.

How do I love someone this intensely and not trust him with my heart in the same breath?

Come on now. Get it together.

Letting go of what was and dedicating myself to what is

we don’t own people. We can’t stop anyone from hurting or disappointing us. And even those we love will make mistakes and let us down.

I am willing to release my expectations on healing and what it’s supposed to look like so that I can make room for more self-compassion, self-healing, and self-love.

HEALING MEDITATION Reflect on what the hurt in your life taught you about resilience. Consider how you can take your healing process one step at a time.

All that I am inspires all that I will be.

IDENTITY MEDITATION Who are you today and what gives you a sense of belonging?

Change is possible, no matter how it shows up.

Comparison is teaching me the importance of compassion.

I am freeing myself of comparison and making space for understanding, empathy, and forgiveness. I am a work in progress, and I will continue to unravel and make space for ease as I learn my way and walk my path.

COMPARISON MEDITATION Think of a recent comparison you’ve made in your life. Take another look and consider how comparing can teach you what you have, not what you’re lacking.

family. Dedication’s greatest lesson was to prepare for the rainbows, because you never know when one will catch your eye and capture your heart.

Change won’t always feel good, but it’s a powerful teacher. It teaches us to be resilient and make room for abundance, and it shows us how dedication can help us grow in love and life.

DEDICATION MEDITATION Lean into loss and think about what it continues to teach you.

It takes profound introspection and personal hard work to dismantle suffering.

Breaking the chains of unhealthy cycles begins with acceptance.

Facing rejection is a challenge, but it continues to teach me how important it is to ac...

Practicing acceptance shows me that the baggage of others, even adult children, isn’t mine to bear.

Navigating things like difficult family ties, rejection, and the unspoken has enabled me to take full control of my life.

One of the greatest things I’ve gained from this experience is self-trust—trusting myself and my instincts even when I feel like something is being lost or left behind in the process. I’ve had to work through loss and unpack patterns of codependency,

Acceptance isn’t rooted in trying to force others to be cognizant of their actions, or demanding that they show up in ways they aren’t capable of. It’s the practice of doing our own personal work when it comes to being in relationships with people.