What is “self-love” and why do people say it’s so important?
A lot of people have been talking about self-love lately. I, myself, am a big proponent of Self-Love. The relationship you have with yourself is the most important one in your life, so self-love (in my opinion) is one of the most important forms of love there is. But what is “self-love” and why do some people say it is so important? I believe it is important because it is hard to love others if you don’t know how to love yourself. Compare it to glasses of water; It is hard to pour into someone else’s cup if yours is empty.
In order to love oneself, you have to really get to know yourself. That means the good, the bad, and the ugly. We are not the same people now as we were when we were younger. Take some time to really get to know the person you have become over the years. Below are a few aspects of self-love I believe you can really benefit from if you figure out how to incorporate it into your own life.
1) What are your strengths and accomplishments? You have made it this far in life! That is an accomplishment in and of itself! Take time to think about what you are good at! What do you do well? These positive attributes and accomplishments are your superpowers. Yes, it may sound corny, but it’s important to acknowledge what you do well. This not only helps your confidence, but it is also something you can fall back on when things get rough. When you run into a tough situation, and you have to figure out how to begin, lean on your strengths and accomplishments. Those very strengths that have helped you achieve your accomplishments in the past, are the same strengths that will help you find your way through anything that comes your way.
2) What are your flaws? None of us like to think about what we are not good at, but it is important. Truly knowing your flaws will help you identify areas where you can improve. It’s not about trying to fix who you are but becoming the best version of yourself. By identifying your flaws and improving them, you can actually turn those very weaknesses into strengths. Don’t short yourself by ignoring areas where you can improve. Do the work, so that you can reap the benefits, and become the best version of yourself in the long run.
3) Admire who you are becoming and how far you have come. Life is hard. And as millennials, we are becoming more and more aware of that fact with each passing day. There may be times when you feel like you are just trying to keep from falling on your face, but the fact that you continue to try despite what life throws at you is worthy of praise. We all have our own battles and our own paths. Your walk of life may not look like mine, but one thing we can all agree on is that the hardships of life spare no one. The only thing you can do is try your best to make the most out of the cards you are dealt.
4) The last nugget I want to leave you with is a harsh truth: You can’t expect others to love or respect you if you do not love and respect yourself. Loving yourself is not about trying to make yourself perfect or only loving the parts you like the most. It is about loving all of you. Accept the fact that you have flaws. We all do, but that does not mean you don’t deserve the best. Teach people how to treat you. Oftentimes, people will only treat you, how you treat yourself. If they think you will allow them to mistreat you, that is exactly what they will do. This may be subtle or it can be blunt. Either way, you have to be your own biggest advocate. Love yourself so others will know how to love you as well. Further than that, figuring out how to truly love yourself will better help you to love others. It will help you to be a better family member, a better friend, a better significant other, and a better person in general.
Self-love is one of those easy but difficult things to master. The concept is easy to comprehend, but putting it into practice takes a lot of discipline and perseverance. It won’t happen overnight, and the journey to becoming the best version of yourself never really ends, but the rewards that come along with the hardships are priceless. Self-love is about trying to get the very best out of life for yourself while figuring out the best way to enjoy life as well. Think of what you do well, figure out how to improve your flaws, and how to be kind to yourself in any and every situation. When you master self-love, you will have figured out how to enjoy life on any day no matter what life chooses to throw at you.
Perfection is found in accepting your imperfections. -Bridgett Devoue
-S|20