It is not uncommon for people to feel a sense of hatred towards themselves. In many ways, it is a skill learned early. A social adaptation. If I criticise myself first, if I harden against myself, then I am prepared. No one else can get there before I do. It creates a illusionary kind of protection.

The difficulty is that this does not stay contained. What begins as self-protection often becomes the lens through which the world is perceived. We project it outward, expect judgement and brace for it. In doing so, we organise our lives around avoidance rather than contact. Making peace with ourselves is not indulgent. It is a social responsibility. The way we relate to ourselves shapes how we meet others, how we listen, how we respond, and how we contribute. And yet, when you look more closely, beyond the hatred, something quieter often sits underneath. Most people do not truly hate themselves. They do not know how to stay with themselves.

Self-love is not something you think your way into. It does not come through affirmations or by forcing yourself to feel better it is a relationship. Like any relationship, it can break down. With other people who cause us harm we can step away when something is not working and create distance from the other.

We can’t leave ourselves, so we might as well learn to live ourselves. So the question becomes Not how can I feel better about myself, but how do I stay with myself?

This day is about learning how to return to yourself in a way that is real, grounded, and sustainable.

The Structure

A safe guided, experiential day where you will:

• understand the patterns that pull you away from yourself

• meet the parts of you that feel difficult or uncomfortable

• reconnect with aspects of yourself you’ve lost or pushed aside

• begin to build a more honest and steady relationship with yourself

• Have fun