Amends for Damage to Self

For so long, I only thought of amends as external—people I owed money, or apologies I needed to make. But the most profound amend I ever faced was the one I owed to myself. Years of self-neglect, criticism, and abuse, driven by my own shame and perfectionism, had severely damaged my body and spirit. I was always the last one on my list.

This journey forced me to realize that I am my Higher Power's child, and treating myself poorly is an insult to that power. Making amends to myself meant changing my behavior, not just thinking nice thoughts. It meant eating nourishing food, getting enough sleep, and protecting my boundaries fiercely. It costs me the familiar comfort of self-sacrifice, but the payoff is self-respect. When I treat myself with dignity, I teach the world how to treat me.

I will commit to one act of physical self-care today that I usually skip—a 20-minute walk, a healthy meal preparation, or simply going to bed one hour earlier. This is an amend to my body.