On a special Monday, November 27th, I was a guest on Rise and Thrive Together—an experience that meant a lot to me. Talking about my unique way of teaching writing and emphasizing introspection and sensory awareness was really interesting. Raquel and Regina, the hosts, are not just amazing women but also big inspirations for many, including me.

As we chatted, I thought about my eight-year writing journey—a journey that changed my life. Writing helped me forgive myself and grow self-love and respect. I strongly believe forgiveness is a big part of making positive changes. Letting go of judgments, both towards others and myself, was important. It helped me free myself from perfectionism, seeing it as something that doesn’t really exist.

Forgiveness doesn’t mean forgetting; it’s about healing. Some people mix up forgiveness and forgetting. We need to remember not to keep being upset but to learn, grow, and free ourselves.

Forgiveness is a powerful tool that improves our lives—it improves our relationships, personal well-being, and professional success.

My forgiveness journey involved dealing with lots of people and situations, including forgiving myself for big things. Forgiveness isn’t a one-time thing; I practice it every day, even for smaller stuff.

Once forgiveness became part of my routine, I moved on to the next stage: self-love.

I found it tough to learn to love and care for myself because of the societal expectation that women should care for everyone but themselves. People say self-care is selfish, but I found that loving myself more helps me care for others better. This lesson goes for my kids too—they learn more from watching what I do than from what I say.

Self-love can be small, like regular self-care habits, or big, like going after the job of my dreams, even if it seems strange. This journey of self-love is an ongoing adventure, always exploring my life’s story.

The third stage, self-respect, is important for keeping up the momentum of forgiving and loving myself. It means setting boundaries, but staying flexible and knowing that life is unpredictable. During the show, I realized some people might look for love before forgiving or already have self-respect.

This made me see that self-love can be the starting point. Love, a big part of life, should start with us. I shared a personal story from my past marriage, where love mirrored my self-perception. Trapped in an abusive relationship, I loved my partner deeply. However, it was a love mixed with my low self-esteem, convincing myself that I deserved the violence I experienced. The contrast with my current husband, Sharon, is clear—his love comes from understanding his own worth and showing strong self-esteem. Through his love, he unknowingly taught me that loving someone else is, at its core, an act of loving oneself.

I deeply believe that it is more important to forgive before you love.

In conclusion, no matter what you’re aiming for, the journey happens when you write your own story. The solutions are in you, waiting to be found and embraced. The exploration of our stories opens the door to forgiveness, self-love, and self-respect, allowing us to live a more fulfilling and authentic life.