My favorite line from Justin Bieber’s hit song “Love Yourself” is when he sings, “My mama don’t like you, and she likes ev-er-y-one…” However, the last line of the chorus, “You should go and love yourself,” stuck out to me earlier this week and it prompted me to have a moment of introspection. Following Justin’s advice, I thought about qualities I loved about myself and wrote them down.
Remembering instances where my enthusiasm and encouragement positively affected other people made me feel great. Recognizing the ability that I have to brighten other people’s days strengthened my desire to be supportive of others.
Many times, we put ourselves down and remind ourselves of all of the qualities that we do not possess. It is important to recognize our weaknesses and to strive towards changing our bad habits, but it is equally important to give ourselves credit for all of our amazing assets.
By the end of my introspection session, my face was glowing. I wanted other people to also experience a moment of self-love so I went and approached strangers in my residence hall, asking them to name one thing that they love about themselves.
“I love that I am personable and easy to get along with. I make friends easily this way.” -Jason Hong
“I love that I am not shy and good at talking to strangers. I met one of my first college friends at Sunset Serenade (a music festival held in the fall at UNC) because I randomly approached her. We have been going to concerts together ever since.” -Kate Fialko
“I love the energy that I bring to groups.” -Alexa S.
“I love that I am genuine and have compassion for other people.” -Aliyah Young
“I love that I am non-judgmental of others. Being open-minded allows me to have a diverse friend group.” -Josh Sexton
Although I only asked people to share one positive quality that they own, I hope the question stuck with them. Setting aside time to acknowledge your talents and admirable personality traits will give you the boost you need to tackle any day. Even a Monday.
So ask yourself, “What do I love about myself?” Being loved by others is great, but self-love should be a first priority.