“If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner.” – Nelson Mandela

In life, many are often their own worst enemy. Negative internal dialogue, self-criticism, disbelief in one’s abilities, or an unkind inner voice that tells you, you aren’t good enough and don’t have what it takes, is commonly at the forefront. It can be hard to feel at peace with yourself when you have a negative tape set on repeat. For many, this can be a major source of anxiety, and even depression. If you don’t believe in you who will?

I believe much of what ails us in the world at large stems from what so many carry inside of them. I am left to wonder if perhaps we all cultivated more internal diplomacy, if we might not be able to extend that to our neighbors. The best gift you can give the world is a stable and healthy you. If we all took the time to work on and love our internal landscape, oh the miracles that might start to unfold in our shared external landscape.

Consider cultivating mental diplomacy within yourself and learn to make peace with the parts of you, you are overly critical of. Learn to love the whole package, for you are in fact stuck with you so make it a joyful, if not diplomatic, ride. Once you start loving what you see from the inside out, start bringing your new found sense of appreciation with you and share it abundantly.

Preservation of peace and working to strengthen and unite all parts of you will bring you more mental wellness, stability, joy, and well-being. I wish for you, mental diplomacy and internal unification. I believe in you, all of you, especially the parts that still need work. I also send peace, love, and good tidings to all during this magical time of the year.