As busy college students, we get so wrapped up in trying to juggle everything – school, family, some semblance of a social life – that we forget to work on the most important relationship; the one we have with ourselves. I’ve struggled with my self esteem for as long as I can remember, constantly looking for validation in other people, giving the power to someone else to acknowledge how smart or interesting or pretty I am. As if my opinion of myself could only come from a third party to be valid.
I know as women, society expects certain things of us and if you don’t fit into that mold then there is something wrong with you. Honestly, it sucks. It’s so tragically unfair. We start to internalize these pressures and bash ourselves in ways that we don’t even realize. Little by little, chipping away at the beautiful creation that you are. We have become conditioned to phrase our opinions as questions, to respond negatively when someone compliments us and to shun praise for our accomplishments like they happened by sheer luck. But enough is enough. It’s finally time to admit that we are our own worst enemies. There are so many obstacles against us already that we shouldn’t add ourselves to the opposition. The reality is, people can come and go out of your life at any point in time, and can change their opinion of you. Their sweet words to you may turn bitter, their loving gazes may turn cold and it may hurt like hell. But you can never leave you.
That is why I am choosing to be unapologetically, unequivocally in love with me. Of course there are days when things are difficult, just like in any relationship. This is by no means easy to do but I whole-heartedly believe that everyone can slowly build themselves up. It’s time to cut ourselves some slack and be a little selfish. We have to forgive ourselves. For our shortcomings, for our imperfections, for all of it. We are human. Fabulous, flawed, feisty women with passion and goals and things to achieve – and absolutely no reason to apologize for that.