How to Live with Ease—with Dr.Thema Bryant
“In healing, I return to the truth of myself.”
Dear Friends,
While preparing for my interview with Dr.Thema Bryant, I was struck by an exercise she shared. During a podcast, she invited listeners to complete the prompt: “I miss me who…”
Answers came rushing in: I miss me who was light and playful. Whose body was relaxed. Who didn’t strive to (unsuccessfully) control everything.
I was surprised by how quickly a simple prompt awakened dormant longings. I missed the version of myself that I’d been as a carefree teenager—A distant energy that I rarely think about.
In our conversation, I was eager to ask Dr.Thema how we can rediscover the lost parts of ourselves…
“It’s important to know that sometimes we are so busy living, chasing, and pursuing that we can lose sight of ourselves. Weeks, months, and years can go by when we've been very busy. But, we haven't been grounded in our truth and authenticity.
If we place a hand on our hearts and a hand on our belly, and, if it feels true, to simply say the words: I miss me... Notice what comes up. What are the aspects of me that I miss? How long have those parts of me been neglected or hidden?
The gift of recognizing the aspects of me that I miss is that it begins the journey of getting those things back. I can't reclaim myself if I don't acknowledge that there are parts of myself that I have left behind.”
For Dr.Thema, it was poetry. While family and career made it difficult to attend the 10 p.m. poetry readings she enjoyed in college, she created space to write again. “It might not look the way it used to, but we can still reclaim those neglected parts of ourselves,” she adds.
In reflecting on her journey, she shared…
“In healing, I return to the truth of myself.”
Her sentiment captures why the prompt stood out to me: Too often, we wait too long to embody our essence—or never do it at all.
In our conversation, Dr.Thema leads us on our path back home. As a renowned psychologist, professor, minister, author, and sacred artist, she’s the perfect guide. We discuss how to identify what keeps you from feeling inner peace, rewrite the stories that cause you to settle, and learn to live with ease. Spiritually, she shares surprising insights on how to connect with the divine and why that too is a journey of homecoming.
Close your eyes and sit with Dr.Thema’s prompt. What parts of yourself do you miss? What is one small way you can reconnect with yourself today?
With love,
Jenna