This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Dartmouth chapter.
Sometimes, we look too hard at our flaws. We fail to see the positives, and without seeing what’s good about us, how can we share that goodness with the rest of the world?
Without further ado, here’s a 10-step recipe for loving yourself.
- Gather your ingredients. Sympathy. Forgiveness. And a whole lot of compliments. No, not diet compliments. Don’t skimp out on your compliments, we need full-fat sincerity!
- Now, we have to roll-out the negativity. Really beat it with the rolling pin, just squeeze out all the self-hate. All the negative comments about your body, your actions… And if you see any thoughts of self-doubt, you’re going to need to add more “optimism flour”.
- Now, I realize optimism might make some of you realists have an allergic reaction. Even if you feel silly using optimism flour, try to substitute it with a bunch of “positivity powder” instead. If you feel stupid saying “this week will be the best week of my life!” (Because, yes, realists realize that there are a whole lot of weeks in one’s life, if life spans are to be believed). Then try and replace this by saying, “I’ll work extra hard to make sure that this day is a good one.”
- If you feel worn out from steps 1-3, take a break. Put your work-in-progress on a shelf somewhere to really let the “I’m working on myself” attitude set in. Realize you won’t make a whole cake in 5 minutes. Everything takes time.
- Take the cake out of the oven. This isn’t its final form. You’re still working on it! But notice how much progress you’ve already made. You have a steady foundation for who you’re going to become.
- Now for the decorating part! The best part about this is you can always add as many sprinkles of personality, frosting of reinvention, or sugary coping mechanisms as you’d like.
- Did you make a mistake? No problem! Frost over with some extra buttercream of realizing your own beauty – inside and out!
- Place the cake in the freezer for your decorations to set. Sometimes, when you’re so full of energy, you need some time to cool down and reflect.
- Take many pictures! Don’t be afraid of your progress or reinvented self. Cherish these memories, even the messy steps along the way.
- Have your cake and eat it too. Now that life’s more positive and wholesome, you can enjoy all the progress you’ve made. Repeat any of the steps as often as you need/like.
Remember, no recipe is perfect for everybody. Sometimes, you have to make substitutions. Life, like baking, can get messy. But you’re a master chef, and I believe in you!