Hi!

 

I hope you’re having a fabulous January!

 

I took a break over the holidays because I got that terrible flu and then got strep throat. So I was out for the better part of nearly 5 weeks!

 

But I’m getting back in the groove and I wanted to start by sending some love your way.  Because in these difficult times everyone needs some love.

 

I had a moment when I was watching Grace and Frankie. It’s about two women in their 70’s who are recently divorced and making a new start of it in the same household. Frankie is a free spirit (played by Lily Tomlin) and Grace is straight laced, successful business women (played by Jane Fonda). It’s really lovely.

 

Grace (Fonda) is so afraid that her new beau will not like the real her because she’s much older than he is and she finally gives in, starts to rant about how he couldn’t possibly love her if he knew the real her.

 

She furiously rubs off all her makeup, and takes her hair extenders out and her lipstick off and shows him her cane that she’s been hiding due to a knee injury and says, “See!! Seee! Do you want me now?!”

 

And he comes over and looks at her with awe and wonder and just really sees her, warts and all and says, “I’ll take it!” And then carries her upstairs super romantic style..

 

That moment is a moment that I hear women long for – to be really, truly seen and loved anyway.

 

I am here to say: You can have it.

 

I had another one of those moments tonight. So often I hide out, even accidentally, or I just think I have to handle it all myself, so I don’t share with my beloved or my team.  I’m a badass, head bitch in charge – I got this!

 

And when I finally come out and say whatever it is, my sweetheart’s response is always to love me more. To try to keep me from harm. To support me. I feel so loved and seen by him.

 

But here’s the surprise bit:  I don’t think that love is unusual. I just think we miss it in our rush to not allow our full selves to be seen and reveled in.

 

I’ve talked to three friends this week that have shared things with me and who I love more as a result. One of them let me snuggle her and received my love and at least one of them deflected it. (I still loved on her. Try and stop me!)

I have a wish that you (yes, YOU) feel more loved. Even if nothing changes that in the moments when people love you that you stop, take a breath and take it in. Receive it and let it fill you up completely and utterly.

 

There’s a lot of difficult things out there, money included. And you deserve to feel loved.

 

Have it.

 

<3,

Briana