The journey of self-love is not a linear path; it’s a journey that is never-ending. Studies show that self-esteem is high in childhood, drops in adolescence, then continues to rise as adulthood continues, peaking in the 60s. As we go through life, our self-love is constantly tested. Anything could have you second-guessing yourself; something that your friend said that you may have misinterpreted, a rude comment on the internet, or getting cheated on. It is important that, along with self-love, we practice self-compassion and allow ourselves to truly feel the emotions we are experiencing.Â
Not everyone’s self-love journey is the same. We are all at different stages of our lives. Some of you have accepted who you are and have learned to love yourself, while others still struggle to love what they see in the mirror. My own self-love journey has definitely been a rollercoaster. As studies have shown, I fall into the norm. I was a very confident child, I was heavily insecure in middle and high school, and it’s been up and down since I started college. I will say that at this current point in my life, I have never been more in love with myself. I’ve realized recently that it’s okay to be completely obsessed with yourself; no one is going to hype you up and believe in yourself as much as you.
One thing I did to help with my self-love journey has been journaling. It’s great to be able to get your emotions out with zero judgment. Yoga is something else I have taken up. It’s a very peaceful and calming part of my day that I get to spend with myself and zero interruptions. Let go of those draining your energy. When you cut negative things out of your life, it starts to get a whole lot better. It’s important to love what’s on the outside and the inside. Look in the mirror and learn to appreciate what you have. Tell yourself a few things you like about yourself, about how you look, and your personality.
Regarding self-love, everyone wants to be in a relationship before they truly understand and love themselves. How can you expect someone to love you if you don’t even love yourself? If you’re sad and miserable, having a partner won’t change that. This is why I preach spending time by yourself. You should learn how to enjoy your own company before you fill your time with someone else. Give yourself the love that you want someone else to give you. Once you learn to love yourself, you won’t have people playing in your face. We’re running a strict program this year and forever.
I hope that everyone can learn to love themselves. There is no other feeling like it. It can be a difficult and long journey, and there honestly is no end. It’s okay to feel insecure, but being comfortable with who you are is one of the best things you can do for yourself. My self-love journey has been all over the place, but I have never been happier with myself, and I will only continue to grow. The most important thing to remember is to love yourself before allowing someone else to. Look in the mirror and within yourself, and learn to love everything about it. At the end of the day, no one can love you as much as you love yourself.