<p>You know that line in <em>Bridget Jones&#39;s Diary</em>… when Mark Darcy says, “I like you very much, just the way you are”? Yeah. We all melt.<br>But here’s the real question: Do you?<br>In this episode, we’re talking about self-love. Not the Instagram version. Not the bubble baths and face masks (although we love those too). I’m talking about the real, grounded, sometimes hard version of self-love. The kind that shows up when everything is falling apart.<br> <br>I share the story of the moment I finally chose myself. After years of back and forth, leaving and returning, I reached a point where I didn’t need someone else to stay… because I had finally stayed for me.<br>We talk:<br></p><ul><li> Why self-love isn’t just “treating yourself”… it’s consistency and self-devotion </li><li> The difference between caring for yourself and being kind to yourself (you need both) </li><li> How self-love gives you the strength to walk away from what no longer serves you </li><li> A simple but powerful exercise using a photo of your younger self </li></ul><p>CHAPTERS:</p><p>00:00 Self love question do you love yourself?01:00 Story choosing yourself after repeated heartbreak02:30 Building habits that led to self love04:00 Choosing yourself and walking away fully04:45 What self love actually looks like06:00 Consistency devotion and being kind to yourself07:00 Practicing self love on hard days08:30 Healing reconnecting and loving yourself again10:00 Final message self love is daily practice</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><ul><li>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/smalltalkwith_sheila" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.instagram.com/smalltalkwith_sheila</a></li></ul><ul><li>YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@smalltalkwithsheila" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.youtube.com/@smalltalkwithsheila</a></li></ul><ul><li>TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@smalltalkwithsheila" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.tiktok.com/@smalltalkwithsheila</a></li></ul><p><br>I also share one of the books that supported me during this time: <a href="https://a.co/d/07bJEGSM" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"><em>Radical Awakening</em></a>. If you’re in a season of coming back to yourself, it’s a powerful one.<br>And yes… I recorded this episode on one of those days. Nothing working. Camera issues. Internet down. Fully not in the mood. And still… I showed up. For you, but more importantly, for me. Because that’s what self-love looks like in real life.<br>We also talk about <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1000774/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"><em>Sex and the City, the movie</em></a>— specifically Carrie after everything falls apart, and how her assistant Louise (played by Jennifer Hudson) helps her come back to herself. That’s the kind of love we’re building here.<br>You can choose yourself… right now.<br>If this episode landed for you, share it with your friends. Send it to someone who needs a reminder to stop abandoning themselves. Send it to someone who needs to come back home to who they are.<br>And I mean it… I want to see little you. Send me your baby photos. DM me. Email me. Drop them in the comments. I want to know: what does loving <em>that</em> version of you look like? 🤍<br><strong>Watch the romcom live:</strong><br>Or email me directly at <a href="mailto:[email protected]" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">[email protected]</a><br><strong>End Credits &quot;rolling like a romcom&quot;</strong><br>Production and audience development by<a href="https://pod.vision/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"> PodVision</a><br>Created, written, and hosted by Sheila Kazan<br>Executive Producer of Her Own Life: Also Sheila Kazan<br>Emotional Support and Occasional Reality Check: Hezi (my husband)<br>Tiny but Mighty Energy: Love (my pup)<br>No bubble baths were required in the making of this episode. A woman choosing herself was.<br>This romcom is just getting started. 🤍<br></p>