There are moments in life when the enormity of our shared human story comes rushing in—a moment so profound that it floods your heart and body with warmth, clarity, and awe. Today, I felt one of those moments.
It started with a reflection, a quiet thought about how deeply our history shapes us, particularly the dynamics between men and women. The world wars left scars that didn’t stop with the soldiers on the battlefield. They rippled through families, relationships, and entire generations. Men shut down emotionally to survive the unspeakable horrors they witnessed. Women, in turn, bore the weight of neglect, as the emotional walls men built for survival became barriers to connection.
It’s no wonder the bond between men and women has been marked by pain, misunderstanding, and longing. Women have carried generations of unspoken grief, just as men have carried unprocessed fear. And yet, here we are—still yearning for something deeper, something real. For women, that yearning often looks like a desire to be seen, valued, cherished. To be loved by a man who listens, who protects, who adores, who opens the door and makes you feel alive.
But here’s the truth that shifted everything for me: That kind of love can only come when you embody it yourself. You can’t wait for someone else to bring it to you.
If you neglect your own energy stream—your own deepest needs—you’ll radiate neglect. And what will you attract? Experiences that mirror neglect. If you prioritize everyone else above yourself, the world will reflect that back to you.
The shift happens when you start treating yourself with the care and attention you long for from others. When you open doors for yourself, when you nurture your body with rest and good food, when you wrap yourself in the warm embrace of your own love. When you hold yourself gently, with all the compassion and understanding you’ve always wanted from someone else, something magical happens. You shift your energy. You change the information your electrons carry. You start radiating love, value, and worth—and life begins to reflect it back to you in extraordinary ways.
Today, as I reflected on these truths, a flood of warmth and emotion overcame me. It felt like love—not the abstract kind, but a tangible energy that filled my heart, made my hands and feet tingle, and brought tears to my eyes. It was the kind of love that comes not from someone else but from the recognition of my own worth, my own journey, and my own power to create a life filled with joy and connection.
This is the lesson I want to share: The love we seek is already within us. The world around us is just a mirror, reflecting the relationship we have with ourselves. When we shift our energy, we shift our reality.
And as I sit here, still basking in the afterglow of this realization, I feel a deep gratitude for the journey I’ve walked. The struggle, the grief, the longing—they’ve all led me to this moment. And I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Here’s to creating our own reality, Anke Joanne