Gala Darling - Radical Self-Love.

PRAISE FOR

Radical Self-Love

Radical Self-Love should be on every womans bookshelf. Gala Darling is the fresh voice of a new generation, encouraging us to love ourselves and rediscover the most magical facets of who we are. This book will crack you open to the presence of your authentic power.

Gabrielle Bernstein, New York Times best-selling author of Miracles Now

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Copyright 2016 by Gala Darling

Published and distributed in the United States by: Hay House, Inc.: www.hayhouse.com Published and distributed in Australia by: Hay House Australia Pty. Ltd.: www.hayhouse.com.au Published and distributed in the United Kingdom by: Hay House UK, Ltd.: www.hayhouse.co.uk Published and distributed in the Republic of South Africa by: Hay House SA (Pty), Ltd.: info@hayhouse.co.za Distributed in Canada by: Raincoast Books: www.raincoast.com Published in India by: Hay House Publishers India: www.hayhouse.co.in

Cover & Interior design: We Are Branch (www.wearebranch.com)

Cover photos: Made U Look Photography (www.madeulookphotography.com)

Interior illustrations: Charlotte Thomson-Morley (www.charlottethomson.co.uk)

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic, or electronic process, or in the form of a phonographic recording; nor may it be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or otherwise be copied for public or private useother than for fair use as brief quotations embodied in articles and reviewswithout prior written permission of the publisher.

The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Darling, Gala, author.

Radical self-love : a guide to loving yourself and living your dreams / Gala Darling. -- 1st edition.

pages cm

ISBN 978-1-4019-5142-9 (tradepaper : alk. paper) 1. Self-acceptance. 2. Self-realization.3. Magical thinking. I. Title.

BF575.S37D37 2016

158.1--dc23

2015033828

Tradepaper ISBN: 978-1-4019-5142-9

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

1st edition, 2016

Printed in the United States of America

CONTENTS

Making magic is a group effort. I have met so many spectacular women in the past decade who have inspired me, uplifted me, and given me new things to think about. To everyone who has ever sent me an e-mail, stopped me in the street for a hug, or attended one of my workshops: thank you from the bottom of my pink, sparkly heart. You have changed my life.

My life has been made so much better by the babes who hold my dreams as if they were their own. Infinite love to Shauna Haider, who has been there since the beginning; Kat Williams, for her tireless enthusiasm and encouragement; Helen Sapunova and Jennie McNeil, who are my heart; Rachel Rabbit White, for showing me a new way of looking at things; Veronica Varlow, who is the most magic of all; Emily Faulstich, for keeping it light; Francesca Lia Block, for her endless support; and last but definitely not least, Janet Paape, who has always been my biggest cheerleader. I cannot express how much your love and support means to me. Thank you for everything that you are.

Hello, beautiful. Im so excited for you to dive into Radical Self-Love: A Guide to Loving Yourself and Living Your Dreams . This is a thrilling time for both of us! Picking up this book is the very first step toward creating a life of magic, a life that fills you with delight. Radical Self-Love is my take on how to fall in love with yourself and your life, two things I know a lot about.

Make no mistake: it took me a long time to get here. My body is covered in tattoos, scars from old piercings and self-harm, all marking the passage of time. Dont think that Im coming to you as someone who has always had it all figured out, because that is definitely not the case. Eight years ago, I was a completely different person. I was miserable, sick, and lost. I knew my life could be more than what it was, but I felt stuck. I had no idea how to get to where I wanted to be, and I let fear rule my life with an iron fist.

Maybe you identify with those sentiments. Perhaps you feel similarly bamboozled by the life youre living; maybe it doesnt look the way you expected. Thats okay. Dont feel bad, or sad, or overwhelmed. We are going to start dismantling all those thoughts that no longer serve you, one by one!

No matter where you are in your journey of radical self-love, I want you to know one thing: you always have the ability to change. In every moment, were given an opportunity to evolve and grow or shrink and stay stuck. You make the choice!

Take a second to tune in to this precise moment. Maybe youre relaxing in a bathtub, candles flickering. Perhaps youre on the bus, listening to the squeak of windshield wipers and rain against the glass. Or maybe youre sitting in your living room, cross-legged on your sofa, your dog slumbering quietly beside you.