Julie Noparstak, LCSW

An agreement with Self shifts the fragmented mind into a solid and cohesive sense of Self. This is a place of healing, contentment, and peace where we can fully live by being engaged and aware of our own actions, thoughts, and experiences. This agreement with Self, then, is the key to understanding how we can reign in our split off parts of Self and live grounded instead in our truth and authenticity. We are all unique and when we are fully honest in our lives, accepting and living in our authenticity and truth we are able to create positive, loving, and joyful relationships with our Self and others. 

What is an agreement with Self? This is an internal and private experience where we go within and fully commit to being honest with our Self about what we are creating in our lives and our relationships. Once Self-awareness is understood and practiced, the Inner Voice gets stronger and as we listen to it, we have insights and aha moments regularly. We notice and honor validating signs that appear. In the conversations we have with our Self we come to terms with our authenticity and commitment to honor and advocate for our own needs and perspectives.

This is a time of healing for us as we reflect on our experiences and work to accept and to forgive our Self for the mistakes we have made in the past. We can shift our perspective to a growth mindset where we come to see that things happened in a way that led us to our current reality and where we are free to use self-awareness with intention. This understanding creates the foundation for us to anchor within our true Self, using our intuition, emotions, and the wisdom gained from our experiences.  When present with our Self, we can use our own advice as the primary guidance in our decision making. Of course, we must look at the circumstances and the needs of all involved, but the understanding that the I that we are is really an active relationship with one’s Self, and one’s own inner knowing. 

This agreement with Self, when reached and maintained, is the foundation for inner peace. This relationship with Self is not always easy, as we are often confronted with personal, interpersonal, and real-life problems that we must navigate through. If we get out of our own way and take the time to not only get advice from others, but to also allow the time for introspection and insight, most often the answers we seek will come. As we stay present with our own ideas, we can see a path out of the confusion. This plan becomes our life path, and we then use our resourcing skills to move forward with our head held high. When we are in agreement with our Self, we will most often see that we can handle anything from this strong and centered place within. This is the foundation of Self-esteem. However, while self-awareness is a blessing, it can also feel like a curse at times because once we are Self-aware and listen to our inner guidance, we are faced with making changes that often disrupts our equilibrium, as growth opportunities enter.