Emi Valerio talks self-love, faith and celibacy in her new book, Say Yes to You. The motivational, self-help book focuses on the importance of finding yourself after a relationship but more importantly, loving yourself without the safety-net of a partner. Emi documents her journey of love, discovery and re-dedication to the two most important entities in her life; herself and God. Through the strengthening of these relationships, she finds confidence in what she deserves and what she will no longer settle for.
Emi highlights the obsession that women have with the fairy tale of love and marriage. Dispelling the importance of the diamond ring, she puts emphasis on building a long-lasting bond centered around love and dedication to one another. This perspective redirects the attention from the monetary pressure of purchasing the perfect ring to building a stable relationship built on trust, faith and communication.
“A ring does not solidify your place in a man’s heart,” she writes.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway form me was the way Emi outlined the importance of breaking “soul ties.” Throughout our lives, our souls will link to a variety of people in both a negative and positive way. Whether it be family, friends, partners or strangers, the energy transferred can leave an impact on your life. The Godly soul ties are the relationships you want to hold on to. The ungodly ones can be harmful to your well-being. Learning how to break free from the ungodly soul ties can be difficult but Emi offers 3 steps to help you along the way. What I love about this is that the tips offered are not exclusive to couples in a relationship. Evaluating the people in your life and whether or not they have a healthy impact on your well being is important and can be achieved through acknowledgement, Forgiveness and prayer.
Acknowledge their place in your life. Know that they’re there. Forgive them for how they’ve made you feel or what they’ve done to you. Forgiveness is for you, not them. Pray that God continues to guide your steps when it comes to developing relationships with people you encounter on a daily basis.
Emi’s faith in God is evident throughout her book. She highlights the importance of developing a long lasting relationship with Him in order to find the partner meant for you. The fact that you can’t truly understand or know love until you take time to learn God and yourself makes perfect sense. A long lasting, stable relationship should be rooted and centered around God. The idea that putting God first will cause everything else to fall into place has been proven through her journey of self-love and discovery. If this isn’t a testimony to those who have love and lost, then I don’t know what is!
Say Yes to You is a must-read! Whether you’re single, attached or married, it is important to affirm your greatness and know your worth. Although I am in a relationship, I am left inspired to continue the journey of loving myself, loving God and becoming a better person for me and my partner. With the holidays right around the corner, Say Yes to You can make a great gift for anyone aiming to enter the new year with a fresh perspective on love and relationships. Keep up with Emi via her website and Instagram page.