I am safe, and so are you.

I waded into the brisk water, feeling the chill on my skin. The sky was an incredible display of colors, the glow of the pink sunset turning everything a lovely hue. I waded in up to my waist, waiting for my body to acclimate a little. Suddenly, I plunged further in, up to my neck, and it took my breath away. Quietly, I said to myself, "I am safe," and settled my breathing, letting the cold seep into my body before I headed back to the sauna's heat.

This phrase came into my life this summer on a backpacking trip in Grand Teton National Park. My husband and I were in the backcountry for a few nights. It was our first time venturing into the mountains, and I found myself with a thirty-pound pack crossing mountain passes on loose rocks and a sheer drop inches away.

I knew intellectually that I was safe. People hike there all the time. But my mind kept going to the what-ifs, peeking over the cliff to imagine my doom. And my nervous system was responding in kind. On one particularly narrow pass, I suddenly said to myself, "I am safe," and I was shocked at the result. I could take a deep breath. My body calmed. I could believe it. I felt more grounded and more sure-footed. And the rest of the hike was so much more enjoyable.

This phrase has been a companion on many occasions since then. Running a half-marathon, my leg started to cramp. Entering into difficult conversations. Dealing with health challenges. Or even when thinking about hard things from my past.

Over the past few months, I've shared my phrase with clients too. And I have come to understand the importance of this phrase even more deeply. Many of us came from homes where we did not feel safe, whether it was physically, emotionally, or both. And we are looking for someone else in our lives now to recreate that safety.

That person, dear one, is you.

You are the one who calms your inner child and whispers softly, "I am safe." Let those words wash over you like a balm. Allow your nervous system to release and relax. Breathe deeply and know that you are there for yourself.

You are loved, and you are safe.

And if you don't yet believe it, keep practicing. You are allowed to live a life where you feel safe and loved. Create that for yourself. And if there are things in your life that need to change so that your outer world matches your inner landscape, then I invite you to start today.

Be loved,

Desirée