Learning how to love yourself is one of life’s greatest challenges. It took me years to learn how to love myself and it’s still something I catch myself working on ALL. THE. TIME. I have come to realize that my biggest critic is myself. My inner doubts and insecurities don’t come from those around me but from myself. Learning how to deal with these critiques and catching myself on those will is one of my biggest challenges. Once I learned this, and learned how to be more confident and began working on myself, for myself. Learning how to get rid and benefit from your critic is one of the best ways to learn to love yourself. Here are some ways I turned my inner critic into my biggest fan.
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Stop saying negative things about yourself
There is a difference between constructive criticism and degrading thoughts. Learn the difference – and catch yourself every time you hear you say something about yourself. Truth is, if you can’t change it, don’t speak negatively about it. Once I changed the dialogue and way I talked to myself, I felt more confident. Not only about the way I looked, but about the way I acted, my passions and my goals.
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Remind yourself of who you are
You are amazing and you would not be who you are without what you have been through. You are everything you think you are, and more. Every accomplishment, every goal, and everything you have ever wanted to be is inside you. You are everything you have ever been proud of, every time you’ve felt happiness, every time you’ve loved yourself, it is all inside of you. Remember and love the way you feel, your passions, your loves, your desires, despite what you think other people think of you.
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Remind yourself of who you want to be
While loving who you are now is important, remember that there is always a better version of yourself. Don’t spend time constantly trying to change yourself, but don’t feel stagnant with who you are. Surround yourself with people who make you feel like you can blossom. Never try to squeeze into space you feel like you have outgrown. Think about who you want to be, and keep pushing to be that person.
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Stop beating yourself up
You are human. Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone has flaws. Nowadays it’s a lot harder to love yourself because of social media. Everyone posts their highlight reel, not everyone looks like that all the time. It is time for you to stop being mad at yourself. Forgive yourself for the mistakes you’ve made, the way you’ve talked to yourself in the past, and anything holding you back from being the best you you can be. Stop comparing yourself to others, because the most important thing I have learned is that someone else’s beauty does not mean you are any less beautiful. You are strong, beautiful and determined, and you can be all of those things while someone else is too.