Kintsugi: You’re not broken

As you move along your journey, you may experience a myriad of complicated feelings. They’re like cracks in your self-esteem and self-worth. You may even consider yourself broken, perhaps beyond repair. I want to assure you this is not the case.

Your experiences make you valuable. They make you who you are today: a strong, determined individual who's putting one foot in front of the other as you move towards a healthier and happier you.

The fact that you keep moving toward something better is a testament that you are not broken.

Instead, you're using your experiences to redefine and strengthen yourself.

On my journey, I learned about Kintsugi. It became a new way for me to look at my experiences and my approach to life.

In Japanese, Kintsugi is the art of mending broken pottery with lacquer dusted with gold, silver, or platinum. That makes the broken piece even more valuable than before it was broken. It's also a Japanese philosophy about embracing life changes and one’s flaws, i.e., the broken pieces.

Rather than hiding them away in shame and embarrassment, we choose to accept them and share them.

In this philosophy, we understand that our experiences, even the bad ones, shape who we are as individuals. This way of thinking can help us with our mindset. We can learn a whole new way to approach our thinking through this art.

Because Kintsugi is a metaphor for healing, resilience, and strength, we can use this philosophy to overcome what has hurt us, turn it into something stronger and more beautiful, and prove to ourselves that we can overcome what caused the cracks. We can also learn that by being vulnerable and allowing those cracks to be on display, our imperfections and flaws can shine like gold rather than be hidden in shame.

How to apply Kintsugi in your life:
Acceptance: Embrace that we have imperfections

Surround yourself with healthy people who have healthy mindsets

Let go of the concept of perfection: we are a work in progress

Reframe: Learn how to view your flaws

Understand you’re not alone: find a community of support. Many others share similar flaws. Share your journey
Write a gratitude list

Write affirmations

Let’s Stay Connected

If this resonates with you, I’d really love to know. You can comment below or email me. You’re also invited to join other Bookenders on Reddit.

And if you’re looking for deeper exercises, I wrote Bookends of Recovery & Healing Workbook to help you heal from betrayal trauma and addiction by using creative exercises, action tools, and guided reflection.

Warmly,
Laura 🌻