A couple of years ago my friend Catrin, who works as a therapist, told me she sometimes had to tie a piece of yarn around her client’s wrist to remind them between sessions about what they currently were working on in therapy. When I heard this is when my idea about the affirmation bracelet was born.
What if I could ennoble that idea and have the wristband feature an actual written text, an affirmation, a reminder of something you needed to work with daily?
Catrin and I met when we were in our early 20’s. We became good friends at once, but our friendship was not built on convenience. Our lives never synched on a practical level. When we met, Catrin was working as a waitress, she had leather pants, red curly hair and she was hotter than July. The year was 1993 and the location was Stockholm and a club called “Köket Och En Bar”. My brother worked there as well, and this was where all the artsy young people hung out. It was an era of great music, art and sense of community. And Love.
This is where the first matchmaking took place. I witnessed a real “love-at-first-sight” moment happen right in front of me. At one of the tables, this cute and genius musician guy I knew, was being served by Catrin and I just thought to myself: Wow, this moment in time is very special, this is for real, I have to do something! The following day I called him up and asked if he wanted Catrins phone number. “I already got it, from your brother”. It was for real.
Six weeks later, Catrin was pregnant. Yes, matchmaking deluxe, I know! The most adorable baby boy was born and Catrin started a new chapter in her life as a parent. They were the cutest couple in town and they even got married in church. I watched from a distance how she was growing with her motherhood, I watched all the struggling, the challenges, the worry but also – the MAGIC.
Fast forward, 23 years, I now look at our friendship and feel so proud. We’ve managed to keep it real in times of MAJOR change. We’ve seen it survive one divorce, yet another perfect matchmaking, two weddings, the raising of NINE (un-synched) children, two bachelors, carrier hustle, multiple life crises, and the latest – becoming immigrants by choice. My move to LA 5 years ago, and her relocating to Nosara, Costa Rica 4 years ago.
“All I want this love to do, is to bring out the best in me, and in you too” is the Joni Mitchell quote that has been the rule in my marriage, and that I also think sums up our important and beautiful friendship. Throughout these years we’ve always wanted the best for each other, we’ve always loved to watch the evolution happening. But most important of all, we’ve always honestly loved each other just the way we are. For better and worse.
Affirmation of the week: I Gracefully Let Go.
Catrin is, among other things, a brilliant therapist both for couples and individuals. She’s working with a method called Psychosynthesis. She is also the co-author of the book “Free Yourself - Meet Your Potential” (currently only available in Swedish) When I started to make my bracelets with affirmations I asked her what kind of reminders her clients would need and benefit from. “I Gracefully Let Go” was her answer. She said that a lot of her clients were working on getting rid of old behavioral patterns and blockages that constrained them from living in their full potential.
I added the affirmation “I Gracefully Let Go” to the collection for those of us who needs to be reminded to let go of energies, activities or circumstances that no longer serves us, and to let go of people or things that have hurt us, or that we have hurt, in the past. You might be working with or without a therapist, either way, you have to be persistent, YOU have to do the work. And remember that with a little bit of exercise, rewiring your brain is possible. The more you let go, the higher you rise.
That’s all for today, love from LA.
/Maria