Integration is a bitch
practicing what you preach is the Lord's work 😅
Based on my findings–through lived experience and practice–integrating the tools I’ve learned through years of self-discovery and therapy works.
But damn–integration is a bitch.
Bringing your inner work into your daily life isn’t for the faint of heart. I always say, “It’s the Lord’s work”.
And the older I get, the more I understand why people avoid this shit.
Choosing to be present in your healing journey, to practice what you preach, and to actually embody what you’re learning–it’s work.
Real work. And every time, I am reminded: it’s worth it.
With this reminder, I keep going.
Over the years, I’ve also realized that integration doesn’t have to feel raggedy. Every season of growth comes with it’s ups, downs, and plateaus–and I get to choose how I experience it.
I get to choose how I move through the learning curves and the growing pains.
I get to choose.
It took a lot of mental gymnastics (and years of actively working on my inner reality) to arrive here. And because this journey doesn’t have a finish line, I knew I had to make it sustainable–even enjoyable–so that each new season of life could flow.
More Than Integration
A pattern emerged after years in the game of witnessing my healing journey and the inner transformations:
🌀Exploration
🌀Integration
🌀Embodiment
And within this pattern, I also noticed each stage did not provide me with a linear path forward.
They loop, they spiral, and they repeat in ways that will humble the shit out of you, but understanding them makes the process feel less like a struggle and more like a rhythm.
Integration is one piece of the puzzle. It’s messy, uncomfortable, and necessary–but it doesn’t exist in isolation. Remember that. Integration does not exist in isolation.
Every season of growth and transformation moves through three stages. Let’s break each stage down a bit.
Exploration | The Spark Arrives
This is where curiosity and intuition take the lead. Your inner nudges are loud and guiding you through an uncertain path. You are reading books, going to therapy, investing in yourself, listening to podcasts, and having those unshakeable “AHA” moments. You are uncovering truths about yourself, your patterns, your wounds, and your most authentic desires.
Exploration is exciting. It’s expansive and exhilarating.
But exploration alone won’t transform your life. That’s where our good sis INTEGRATION comes in.
Integration | The Deep Work
This is where things get real. Integration is about applying what you’ve learned, and let me tell you – it’s the stage that will test your grit.
You start setting boundaries instead of only reading about them.
You practice self-compassion instead of only understanding the concept.
You pause before reacting, even when your nervous system is screaming at you.
Integration isn’t glamorous. It’s the messy middle, the part where your old habits fight to stay alive. This is why integration feels like a bitch–because it requires active participation.
But when you stay committed to your path forward, to your healing, something magical happens.
Embodiment | The Shift Within
This is where you notice you’re not trying so hard anymore. The thing you struggled to practice? It’s now second nature. The boundary-setting, the self-trust, the emotional regulation–it’s no longer something you have to remind yourself to do.
It just is.
Embodiment is where the work settles into your being. It’s when you become the version of yourself you’ve been working toward.
And the beautiful (and sometimes infuriating) part? Once you embody one lesson, another one reveals itself, and the cycle continues.
Practice What You Preach
Motherhood has been my sharpest mirror. It’s one thing to talk about healing, self-compassion, and emotional regulation–it’s another thing entirely to live it when a tiny human is watching your every move.
The pressure of being witnessed–whether by a child, a partner, a friend, or yourself–makes it clear that embodiment isn’t about knowing better; it’s about being better.
There’s no faking it.
There’s no skipping steps.
There’s only the raw, daily practice of practicing what you preach.
And the harsh reality: the way you show up will always speak louder than the words you say.
We all know someone who preaches self-care but never rests.
Who talks about boundaries but constantly overextends themselves.
Who teaches emotional regulation but crumbles under pressure.
No shame, no judgment–because I have been all of the above in different seasons of my life. This is an invitation to get real about where we are living the work versus where we are just talking about it.
Embodiment Thrives in Consistency + Repetition
The shift from preaching to embodying happens through consistency.
Every time you pause before reacting, you deepen your regulation.
Every time you say “no” when you mean it, you reinforce your boundaries.
Every time you choose self-compassion over self-criticism, you build self-trust.
It’s not about perfection–it’s about the art of practicing.
And the more you practice, the less you have to think about it. That’s the beauty of embodiment.
It’s not forced.
It’s not performative.
It’s simply who you are.
And that? That’s worth the work, every single time.
Loving Reminders as You Journey Through
✨Pace yourself. Each stage has its own timing and rushing won’t get you there faster.
✨Give yourself grace. Just because you know better doesn’t mean change is instant.
✨It’s a cycle. This isn’t a get-healed-quick scheme. The journey continues, again and again, each time with deeper emotional wisdom.
What’s On Your Heart?
💌I’d love to hear from you — what are you integrating this season?
Drop your reflections in the comments. Let’s make this a two-way conversation.
With love and deep gratitude,
Amita