The Quiet Power of Choosing Yourself

Vanessa Harris
Apr 28
2 min read

(A Mindful Mornings Reflection with Ayana Flow)

Self-love isn’t selfish, it’s how we come home to ourselves

Somewhere along the way, many of us were taught that self-love meant ego, arrogance, or indulgence. But real self-love is much quieter than that. It’s in the way you choose to breathe through a difficult moment. It’s in the way you speak to yourself when no one else is listening. It’s in the soft but steady decision to see your own worth, even when the world makes you doubt it.

❝

You can’t hate yourself into becoming

someone you admire…

❞

At Ayana Flow, we believe that self-love is not about fixing yourself. It’s about remembering who you are underneath the noise. Recently, I heard someone say, “you can’t hate yourself into becoming someone you admire.” Growth doesn’t come from shame. It comes from acceptance, from kindness, from the belief that you are worthy of becoming. Not because you are broken, but because you are already whole.

The Power of a Morning Ritual

How you begin your day matters. Your first thoughts, your first breaths, your first emotions… they set the tone for everything that follows. Taking a few quiet moments each morning to reconnect with yourself is an act of self-love. It’s a way to anchor yourself in peace, no matter what the day may bring. Whether it’s through meditation, journaling, mindful movement, or simply breathing in the morning air, your morning ritual can become a sacred space where healing begins.

A Simple Practice to Begin

Each morning, try this:

Breathe in stillness. Let yourself feel the calm that already exists within you.
Breathe out what you no longer need. Guilt, fear, perfectionism, release them with your breath.
Whisper an affirmation. Something simple but true: “I am worthy. I am whole. I am enough.”
Step outside in your bare feet. Let the air and earth nurture you in the way you deserve. Feel the world with your breath, skin, and soul.

Let these small moments build upon each other. Let them weave a new foundation. One built on self-compassion, not self-criticism.