When I was growing up, I was always told to find a man who values me, appreciates me, and most of all who loves me. While all of those are true, no one ever taught me how to love myself. No one ever told me to look in the mirror and respect myself for simply being a woman. Women are always told to find love in others before they find love in themselves. I feel like women in college struggle the most with this concept. We are always being told to change. The body-shaming, the bullying, and the hate that we receive on a daily basis does not help.
What I am asking from you as a woman, is to love yourself. Not just on valentine’s day when love is in the air, I am talking about loving yourself when you’re alone. I mean loving yourself when you roll out of bed and don’t like what you see in the mirror. I am asking you to simply cherish yourself. Your life is precious, and we all battle a demon…but please, don’t let those demons include your own thoughts. When you wake up in the morning, get into the habit of saying three things you love about yourself. Hell, take simply 15 minutes a day to sit in your own thoughts, drink your favorite drink, or do your favorite hobby. It is called SELF-LOVE and you deserve it. Stop trying to please others before pleasing yourself. Your happiness is valuable, appreciated, and cherished by those around you. Be open with yourself! If you are upset/angry/happy, dig into those feelings and try to understand why you feel the way you feel.
Before seeking out love in someone else, find out your own love language. Whether it is gifts, personal time, affection, etc., shower yourself with love first. You deserve to smile when you are alone, and you deserve happiness without the consent of others. You are the one in control of your body.
REMEMBER,
You are a powerful woman who deserves love and will accept nothing less than the best.