It is the beginning of the new year, which means a lot of people are all over the place exclaiming “New year, new me!” This is a wonderful time when people (myself included) decide to better ourselves and hope that our progress makes it through to the end of the year, and maybe a little bit beyond. To be honest, I can’t remember what my New Year's resolutions were from last year. However, this year, I am making a promise to myself that I will try harder than I ever have to keep.

This year, I am a 20 year old girl who is making a promise to finally love herself. I am tired of the self-loathing, the depression and anxiety, and the pressure I have been putting on myself for as long as I can remember. This year, I am making a promise that I will keep; this year, I am making a promise to stop. I am making a promise to stop putting myself down for my shortcomings, and instead promise to start praising myself for trying my best. I am making a promise to stop telling myself that I am not good enough, and instead promise to recognize all of the skills and talents that I do possess.

I read a tweet this weekend that inspired me to begin thinking about myself like this. The tweet was by Ashly Perez (@itsashlyperez), a writer and actor at Buzzfeed. Her tweet read:

“We look at our friends in love, awe, and admiration. Ourselves with a critical eye. I hope in 2016 you see yourself like those you love you.”

A second tweet, directly following the first, simply said

“What if you loved yourself? Then who could stop you?”

I only had to contemplate both messages for a few seconds before I began to cry. I found myself apologizing through my tears. I realized that I had to apologize, strangely, to myself, for all of the hurt I had been causing my own sense of self. I did not know truly who I was without this thick cloak of self hatred. Part of my identity, at least the “me” I know myself to be, has always felt negatively towards myself.

This year, and for every year after it, I am ready to shed that cloak. I am ready to treat myself with the respect and courtesy I afford for every other human being. This year, I am ready to love myself unconditionally and unapologetically. I will love myself when I wake up with no make up on, and I will love myself when I'm all dolled-up. I will encourage myself to do more of what I love, and allow myself to stop pursuits and projects that don’t make me

happy and fulfilled. I will do all of this (and more!) because I am worthy of happiness, and most importantly, I am worthy of love. As of right now, I am saying this mantra to myself in a sort of "fake it till you make it" sort of way, but I know that this year will be the year that I begin to believe it.