Episode 24 - Embracing Authenticity, Expectations & Self-Love with Vesta Hurlbutt

By Jessica Garrison

We are thrilled to have Vesta Hurlbutt join us this week for a conversation of healing and loving your authentic self. She is kind, loving, all-inclusive, happy, approachable, and fun, all of which are commendable traits to have, and you will grow to appreciate Vesta even more after listening to her share her story.

The overall conversation of expectations is valuable, so much so that Vesta has an episode dedicated to it on her own podcast, Open Heart Healing. If you’re trying to live out of someone else’s expectations, you’ll start to feel bad about yourself because you’re not fulfilling your own desires. Even if you do every single thing another person wants you to do, it still will not make you feel whole within yourself.

It’s not conceited to love yourself, a point Vesta makes very clear during this talking point. It all goes back to self love and self forgiveness, knowing that you are worth the time and energy it takes to become the healthiest version of yourself. Vesta reminds us that it’s okay if you aren’t meeting your own expectations at this very moment because you will eventually, as long as you are being true to yourself and keeping these components in the back of your mind as you continue your journey.

I also appreciate Vesta’s distinction between the ability to love your body and still want to make it better. There’s always room for self improvement, and if this is an area you struggle with, remember that two things can exist at one time. You can still look in the mirror and love and appreciate your body, but want to improve upon it such as needing to lose or gain weight to make yourself healthier. Just like emotions of happiness and sadness, these two things can be valid at the same time.

I mentioned Vesta’s podcast earlier, and this is a platform for her to share her journey and “explore the path to inner fulfillment.” Vesta’s “why” is centered around wanting to continue to feel amazing, and this a feeling she wants to share with others. Her job allows her to chase her dreams and passions, which she greatly appreciates. We appreciate it as well, because the work Vesta does to help spread the joy allows so many others to feel free in their own lives. It’s admirable to see a woman like her work diligently to give others a platform to help them heal, which also ties into supporting women in living unapologetically.

One last thing I want to share that Vesta said is that she has come across many different walks of life and has found love in every single place. There will always be people there who will support you and a community to stand behind you. Between the Embracing Layers Network and the network Vesta has created, there is already a community waiting for you.

Ways to Engage: Take the time to recognize people in your life who you love unconditionally and vice versa. It might even help to write them down for times when you’re feeling unloved, depressed, lonely, etc. Unconditional love is a beautiful thing and you are worthy of experiencing it.