This week’s quote from John Lewis is a short but meaningful reminder to value ourselves and protect that which makes us unique. Veronica observes how so often we allow ourselves to be defined by other people—their opinions, feedback, and judgment can all have an outsized impact. This makes it even more important to practice self-compassion by accepting ourselves, flaws and all.

In a journey of nonviolence, the first step is to learn to be nonviolent towards oneself. Veronica argues that this involves guarding your light by loving yourself and not being ashamed of where you feel broken or wounded. In fact, as is embodied in Japanese kintsugi, our imperfections can be the source of our character, beauty, and strength where we’ve healed.