In this challenging time, not many things are going as planned. Instead of hanging out with friends and having fun, many of us are just stuck at home all the time. The quarantine has given us a lot of time to think about ourselves. Although it sounds like a great opportunity to have time to reflect, this can also be stressful and prevent us from being happy with ourselves. Personally, dealing with unusual online classes and tons of assignments all by myself was too much pressure, and I blamed myself for my imperfections throughout the semester. I hated how I wasn’t able to control my diet or manage my time properly. I struggled to be content with myself and love myself the way I am, and I feel like some of you may have gone through similar struggles.
Listening to “self-love” songs helped me to overcome my anxieties. There are a lot of songs that can motivate you and make you feel that loving yourself is enough. I’d like to share some of my favorites and hope that they help you feel comfortable in loving yourself too!
- “I Love Me” by Demi Lovato
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“I love me is enough.”
“I’m a ten out of ten even when I forget.”
Demi Lovato struggled from an eating disorder as she was forced to conform to a certain beauty standard. (The story of her watermelon birthday cake is crazy and shocking) She was also devastated by slander on social media. She took years to recover from the mental and physical damage and has now released a song to stand for the girls. The song, “I Love Me,” is written based on her own experiences of fighting against unhealthy beauty standards and online slander that prevent women from loving themselves the way they are. You should be the one who loves yourself the most!
- “To Be Young” by Anne-Marie ft. Doja Cat
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“Fall in love, broken heart, break the rules, drink too much We’re all a mess, but I guess this is what it feels like to be young.”
Many teenagers or students might feel that they have to do what parents or teachers tell them to do, and they have to be “good” kids all the time. This has been one of my biggest struggles for years. I thought that I have to be a good girl who listens to what adults tell me to do and that I should never make mistakes. I mean, being a good kid is not a bad thing, but it can be tiring and even make you feel lost about who you really are and what you really want to do. Finding this song was actually kind of revolutionary for me. It reminded me that I don’t have to follow the rules all the time, that I should be free and true to myself, and that I should take advantage of being young. It is okay to be imperfect and a mess, especially while you are young!
The music video for this song was also filmed entirely at home, making it a very creative and cute video suited for the pandemic. Go check it out!
- “Only the Young” by Taylor Swift
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“Only the young can run.”
“They aren’t gonna change this, we gotta do it ourselves. They think that it’s over, but it’s just begun.”
Taylor wrote this song aiming to encourage the younger generation in the United States to vote in the 2020 election. Today, many young people feel hopeless in society and think they are powerless, choosing to stay silent about the problems they see in society. But the song states that the youth should take action for a better future. We, the youth, should be responsible and do something for our own future.
- “Scars to Your Beautiful” by Alessia Cara
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“You should know you’re beautiful just the way you are.”
“To all the girls that’s hurting. Let me be your mirror. Help you see a little bit clearer the light that shines within.”
The song is based on Alessia’s own experience with losing her hair. She tells us that we all have scars, but we don’t have to change or hide them because these uniquenesses should be loved. I love how the song simply tells us that we are beautiful just the way we are. The message will strongly encourage you to be your number one fan and accept 100% of yourself. You should love yourself the way you are instead of changing for others.
I know that it is not easy to love yourself all the time. But these songs helped me accept my imperfections and let me be 100% myself and happy. I’ve learned that loving yourself fully will make life so much better and brighter. I hope you find songs that do the same for you!
Do you know any songs that can boost girl power?