When I look at the tattoo that’s on the inside of my left arm, I’m reminded of the beauty that comes from change, the magic that a new beginning brings, and the seed of potential that’s buried in the most unlikely places.

(I have a lotus flower on my arm, in honor of my late brother Mark.)

It inspired me to write this piece today: a prayer, my wish for all of us.

Whether you need to start over or keep going, I hope this prayer inspires you to keep hope alive, to trust in love one more time, and to take care of yourself along the way.

The best changes start on the inside, with you.

A Prayer for New Beginnings + the Strength to Love Again

May we have the courage to greet each new beginning (and each decision) with an open heart.

But if life breaks your heart and you feel like you’re falling apart, I hope you fall into something different, and beautiful. I hope you soften but don’t shrink away from the pain. I hope you find out that new wisdom and light will come in, in the exact place where your heart broke open.

When life gets hard, I hope you get curious.

Maybe the very last thing you feel in that moment is promise. That your ashes are sparking new life. That this is sacred ground: square one. But it’s the truest thing I know.

Some days, you’ll need to start your relationship — with yourself, with the past — all over again. You’ll need to forgive all over again. You’ll need to put your pride aside and ask for what you need. You’ll need to change your mind.

And that’s all okay. It really is.

I hope you get to experience some of the wonderful things your mind is capable of.

For instance...

If you want to change yourself, I hope you fall in love with who you are first, as you already are. May your self-acceptance be the seed of joy that blooms later on.

If you want to change the world, I hope you fall in love with it first, just as it is. May your forgiveness channel old pain for new growth.

May your passion and your presence be the most beautiful things about you — the things you give the world; your gift.

But mostly, I want you to feel like your life is maybe magic. Because you have a say in what happens now. And you can change your mind anytime you want.

You can rewrite your own reality by choosing experiences that reflect what you love, that you put your love into.

You can breathe through your brokenness and find beauty in your humanness, joy in your existence.

You can meditate on the stars and feel yourself everywhere, connected to everything, a child of the universe.

You can let go of what’s too heavy to carry anymore, so you have room to pick up something new.

There's a lot to be grateful for, yes, and a lot to look forward to, too.

Whatever you're wishing for, instead of fighting for it, try this:

• Talk about what you love and want to see more of.
• Surround yourself with people who dream and celebrate and appreciate you.
• Be available to inspiration in every moment. Leave space in your schedule to be spontaneous. Laugh and be silly and forget about what people might think of you.
• Care more about exploring and less about competing. Care more about serving and less about what you can get from others.
• Pretend you're already enough, already whole, like you already have everything you need to be who you want to be. You won't have to pretend for long.
• Love again. Love again. Love again.

I wish all of this for you.

. . .

Tell me:

Did a certain part of this prayer resonate with you?

Tell me in the comments. I'd love to know!

With you,

Jen

P.S. Want these kinds of posts in your inbox? Sign up for Tuesday emails and you'll also get my Healing Brave Manifesto, totally free.