Simple and practical ways to get a loving relationship with yourself off the ground.
Meet Kimberly Carroll: a Body/Mind/Spirit Coach, TV host and producer, animal activist, and all around, a pretty incredible human being with a lot of heart. I always love seeing Kimberly out and about at local Toronto vegan events. You can usually find her MC-ing an event, or hosting panel discussions, and with good reason - she knows how to charm a crowd.
Body/Mind/Spirit Coach Kimberly Carroll. Photo courtesy of Kimberly Carroll.
You might recognize Kimberly from the popular comedic design show “Take This House and Sell It!” on W Network (she was the host and producer), and WE TV to “E Now” on CTV, to “Definitely Not the Opera” on CBC Radio. She's showed up over the years on networks from North America to Africa to Europe.
Body/Mind/Spirit Coach
Kimberly likes to joke that for many seasons she had a television gig helping renovate houses and now here she is helping renovate lives. Her specialty is helping people connect to their center, ignite their lives, and transform the world around them. As a body/mind/spirit expert, Kimberly has been featured in the Globe and Mail and as a regular on Newstalk 1010’s “The Buddha Lounge”, CMT’s “Dedicated”, and Flow 93.5. She's also written for ANNA Magazine, VividLife, and Positive Fabulous Women.
As a Body/Mind/Spirit coach, Kimberly works with both men and women through an in-person and online Life Reboot Program, as well as through private coaching. Her approach is a fun, inspiring, and practical process to ignite mind, body, spirit, and heart and then design a life from a powerful place.
This past winter I was a student in Kimberly's Life Reboot program, a 7 week personal development guided program within a group setting. The Life Reboot program includes both weekly in-person group workshops (by a cozy fireplace with delectable vegan snacks), as well as a daily program that we completed individually. For each of the 49 days there were morning audio lessons and exercises in the program workbook, with ongoing online coaching throughout the 7 weeks. I really enjoyed the morning audio recordings because they included powerful visualizations and meditations, with a good dose of saucy inspiration to get centered and charged up for the day ahead. What I loved about these morning recordings was that they gave me the opportunity to get grounded, while strengthening my meditation practice (which is something that I've always wanted to do).
I have so much gratitude for having been part of the Life Reboot program because I can personally say that this program helped me in many areas of my life - from stress management, to sharpening and trusting my intuition, and the cultivation of more self-love. I am of the belief that self development practices - especially the work that I did with Kimberly - can help anyone, at any stage of life.
Kimberly Carroll at Wishing Well Sanctuary. Photo courtesy of Kimberly Carroll.
Vegan Activist Extraordinaire
Kimberly is a prominent Toronto vegan activist who has fronted and coordinated many animal rights campaigns. If you take the TTC (the Toronto subway system), it is likely that you've seen the “Why love one but eat the other?” ad series. Kimberly was the co-creator, co-coordinator, and spokesperson for the original "Why love one" transit ad campaigns in 2009, 2011, and 2013. Currently, she works with Animal Justice, Canada's only animal law advocacy organization that works to pass animal protection legislation, push for the prosecution of animal abusers, and fight for animals in court. She also helps run the Toronto Vegetarian Food Bank which provides cruelty-free, eco-conscious, and healthy foods to those in need.
I hope that Kimberly's tips inspire you to give a little extra love to the most important person in your life, you!
5 Tips for Cultivating Self-Love from Kimberly Carroll
1. Love Song for One
I spent the first part of my life listening to love songs envisioning my future soulmate singing them to me or me singing them to him. Now some of the favourite love songs on my playlist are ones I regard as an ode to myself. When I hear Erasure’s “A Little Respect” and the line “Soul, I hear you calling. Oh baby please give a little respect to me.” I imagine my precious little soul pleading to me to be kinder to it. So, reclaim a romantic song for your relationship with yourself – anything from Van Morrison’s “Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?” to Beyoncé’s “Halo” to The Cure’s “Friday I’m in Love with You” – and get ready to swoon. Play this song once a day over this next week, envision singing this song to yourself and drink it in.
* Want more song ideas? Try googling “best love songs”!
2. Mirror, Mirror
When you look in the mirror today, take an extra 30 seconds to do something other than pick yourself apart. Look deep into your eyes and regard that person in the mirror with the same compassion and acceptance you would extend a beloved friend or family member who needed your love. Reach into your heart and gut and begin telling yourself some of the things you really need to hear right now – words of comfort, validation, or encouragement. If it feels really awkward or artificial at first, you could start with something easy like: “Hey Buddy...good for you for trying something different” or “Oh Sweetie…you look tired. Sorry for working you so hard.” As you get more comfortable, you could try things like: “I saw how kind you were to that person today…I really love you for that” or “I know you’re really hurting, Sweetheart…just breathe out and relax. I’ll never leave you.” Try not to think of Stuart Smalley. ;)
3. Date with Self
A relationship begins with courting. So, schedule in an afternoon or evening to go out and consciously be with your own company. Be sure to get looking fine for yourself… Women, wear a piece of clothing that makes you feel really good and put on your favourite scent. Men, shave and pull out your best boxers. Choose a destination you’ve had your eye on…that charming café you keep passing, that movie no one but you seems to be dying to see, a golf course, an art gallery. Be on the lookout for ways to pamper or show appreciation for yourself on your date.
4. Self-Haters be Gone!
Make a list of all the things you’re constantly assaulting yourself over – ie. my nose is ugly, I’m always so poor, I’m not a good dad/daughter/husband/etc, I don’t have enough muscle, I haven’t changed the world, I’m too uptight, I can’t hang onto a mate, I’m a terrible speller. When you’re done, take a close look at that list and really consider all the crap you are endlessly throwing at yourself… You wouldn’t talk to your worst enemy like that!! Notice which things on this list are not even true or are a result of situations beyond your control. We, of course, can resolve to grow beyond these limits, but nobody can expand when they’re constantly being beat up. Take a step to protect yourself from this hateful behaviour by destroying that piece of paper (rip it up, burn it, stomp it) with the same ferocity as if somebody had written this nasty list about your own child or loved one. Let this paper know, that you’re not going to put up with anybody talking shit about your sweet self!
5. Why I’m Awesome List
On a nice big clean sheet of paper, start making a list of all the things – big or small, grand or quirky – that are unique, great, or loveable about you. Things like: “I started my own company at 30”, “Dogs love me”, “I look amazing in hats”, “I let a terrible tragedy grow me”, “I went to a foreign country with no plan”, “I helped nurse that pigeon back to health”, “I’m good at fixing appliances”, “I have a scar that looks like a heart”, Try to come up with 50… Oh come on, you can do it! Have that list handy to pull out and read whenever you start losing sight of why exactly you’re so damn lovable.
The next Life Reboot Program (the same course that I did!) starts Tuesday, May 2, 2017. You can learn more about the program by clicking here. Kimberly is offering an animal activist discount of 25% off for the up-coming Life Reboot Program!
For information about private coaching with Kimberly click here.
Special thanks to Kimberly Carroll for her time and generosity in sharing her tips for cultivating self-love.
Connect with Kimberly Carroll on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and on www.kimberlycarroll.com.
Much love,
#LoveWildLiveFree
This post was in collaboration with Kimberly Carroll. This is an unpaid endorsement. I only share content about products and services that I personally support, and that are of the highest integrity.
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