Think about yourself for just a minute. Do you think you're attractive? How about successful? Are you worthy? Do you think you're enough? Would you consider yourself strong? These are some of the many questions we ask ourselves every day. The sad part is the answer that we give ourselves.
Self-love has a big impact on our lives, but is something that is often overlooked. Unfortunately, we allow the image that we have of ourself reflect on what matters most to us. For instance, our relationships. Whether this be with your boyfriend/girlfriend, wife/husband, your parents and even your friends. For some reason, we think we have to please people (sometimes everyone) and be enough for their approval. In my opinion, you are enough on your own, you don't have to prove anything to anyone and the only approval you'll be needing is from yourself.
When you're in a relationship, why do you expect someone to love you if you don't love yourself?
Others might argue that self-love is a selfish act, but you cannot love another person to your full potential until you love yourself first. Having a low self-esteem can really affect your romantic relationship. You look for their imperfections to feel better about your own. You depend on their opinions and on their outlook on you and eventually, you make decisions in fear of losing them or their view of you changing. In turn, you're not in the relationship for that person, you are in it to feel better about yourself and to get their acceptance.
With our parents, we do things to please them. Like getting good grades or that job that we really don't want or even finding a successful husband, but none of this matters. If you don't have approval from yourself, why ask others for it? Just because someone desires you don't mean that they value you as a person. In the end, we can't change ourselves so why not love who we are and embrace it? Remember that you have control over how you feel and how you view yourself.
Self-love is the greatest middle finger of all time.
No one can take self-love away from you. My advice to you is to talk to yourself like you would a loved one, you may be surprised. Be proud of who you are and forget what others think, they don't matter. Respect yourself and others will respect you back. Lastly, there is only one of you on this earth remember who you are and always stay true to yourself.
