Welcome to the second issue of The Invitation!!! I'm so grateful you're here. Let's dive in.

This week, I invite you to explore the question, How can I cultivate more compassion toward myself?

Self-compassion looks different for everyone. For you, it might mean letting yourself rest without guilt, releasing the pressure to get everything done, or softening that inner voice that says you should be “further along” by now. Maybe it's choosing to honor your cycles instead of expecting yourself to be “on” all the time. Or maybe it's as simple as remembering you're doing your best and that is enough.

For me, self-compassion hasn't been a single turning point, but an ongoing practice. Living with chronic illness means my access to energy is never the same from one day to the next. Some mornings I wake up full of possibility, and others I need to honor that my body is asking for rest. At first, this inconsistency was something I fought against. I wanted to be “on” all the time. But over the years, the Records have reminded me again and again: life moves in cycles. Just like nature has her seasons, we have our own rhythms. The more I allow myself to ride those waves instead of resisting them, the more compassion I feel toward myself.

My morning meeting with the Records is one of the practices that helps me the most. Sitting in that space, I can ask: What is asking for my energy today? How can I care for myself right now? This simple check-in grounds me, softens the pressure, and gives me permission to show up in the way that feels most aligned.

I see how much this is needed in our community too. Especially right now, fall (in the northern hemisphere) carries that “back to school” energy, which can feel both motivating and overwhelming. There's this constant sense of being behind, of needing to cross a finish line that doesn't actually exist. The truth is: the to-do list will always be there. Letting yourself release the pressure to “catch up” is an act of compassion in itself.

Compassion, to me, feels like a friend sitting beside you whispering: You're doing an amazing job. I see you showing up every day and doing your best. You are not in this alone. The Universe has your back.

HOW TO EXPLORE THIS QUESTION IN YOUR RECORDS:

When you open your Records this week, ask: “How can I cultivate more compassion towards myself right now?” Let the Records show you what compassion looks like for you in this season. You might receive guidance about the way you speak to yourself, how you honor your body's needs, or the expectations you've been holding yourself to. Notice the tone of the messages you receive, the Records often reflect the kind of unconditional love we rarely give ourselves.

Be open to anything that comes through: an image, a memory, a phrase, or even a gentle reminder you've heard before but needed to hear again. Write it all down. The Records may remind you that energy ebbs and flows, and it's your job to ride the waves rather than resist them.

Ask follow-up questions like:

• Where am I expecting myself to be consistent when life is naturally cyclical?
• How can I honor my current season with more gentleness?
• What does my soul need me to remember when I'm being extra hard on myself?
• Trust that even the simplest guidance, like “rest,” “slow down,” or “be here now,” is powerful. Compassion is rarely loud. It whispers.

If you're new to the Records or looking to deepen your practice, I recommend taking my How To Read The Akashic Records Course (for a limited time, use the code ABUNDANCE for $111 off), which will teach you the exact framework I use for myself and my clients, including the Universal Akashic Prayer and Guided Grounding Meditation. Learn more & join here.

HOW TO EXPLORE THIS QUESTION THROUGH SELF-INQUIRY:

You don't need to open your Records to explore this. Take the question with you on a walk, sit with it in your journal, or simply pause in the middle of your day and breathe it in.

Ask yourself:

• Where am I being hardest on myself right now?
• What would compassion look like in this exact moment?
• If compassion were a friend sitting beside me, what would they say?

Notice what shifts when you let yourself soften. Maybe compassion looks like giving yourself permission to rest without guilt. Maybe it's releasing the pressure to get to the bottom of your never-ending to-do list (a list that will always be there, accepting that truth can set you free). Maybe it's honoring your natural cycles instead of trying to push through them.

Self-compassion doesn't need to be complicated. It's a daily practice of checking in, listening, and choosing to treat yourself with the same care you'd offer someone you love.

EVERYDAY PRACTICES TO TRY

Self-compassion isn't something I “mastered” once and for all. It's something I practice, again and again, in the small moments of daily life. Here are a few of the ways I bring it into my days (and I invite you to try what feels good for you, too):

Morning meditation/Records check-in

Before the world starts pulling me in different directions, I give myself a few quiet minutes to tune in. Usually, that is opening my Records and asking, “What do I need to know today?” This practice helps me ground and listen to myself before I listen to everything else.

Creating before consuming

It's so easy to start the day by reaching for a phone, scrolling through emails, or checking what everyone else is doing. But I've found that when I begin by creating, even something as simple as writing a few lines in my notebook, it shifts my whole energy.

It feels like I'm choosing my own voice, my own creativity, my own rhythm, before letting in the noise of the world. Some mornings that looks like journaling, sometimes it's writing a Substack draft, other times it's just putting down a thought that came to me in the night. Whatever it is, it reminds me that my creations come first.

Checking in with your cycles

Living with chronic illness has taught me that my energy comes in waves. Some days I can give more, some days I need to rest. The more I honor those natural cycles instead of fighting them, the more compassionate I feel toward myself. (And honestly, chronic illness or not, this is true for everyone. Nature reminds us of this constantly.)

Affirmations (and a few deep breaths)

This might look like catching myself in a spiral of “not enough” and choosing a new phrase: “I'm doing my best.” “I can move at my own pace.” “I trust myself.” Words really do matter, especially the ones we say to ourselves.

Prayer

For me, prayer is a way of remembering I don't have to carry everything on my own. When something feels heavy, I pause and name it out loud or silently, and then remind myself: I am supported. I don't have to hold this by myself. Sometimes that looks like a simple “I invite in support with this” or “thank you for holding this with me.” It doesn't have to be formal or perfect. It's just a way of softening my grip and letting myself feel connected to something greater.