Practicing Self Love

Self love is hard. It's not something that someone just wakes up with one day, it's something that we all need to work towards each and every day. Self love isn't feeling amazing about yourself every second, or constantly feeling proud or confident. It's a practice, and some days will be better than others. It takes a lot of time and effort to truly, honestly love yourself, and part of that is understanding that some days, you will feel sad, insecure, and like the whole world is against you. It's a part of growing up and something we all struggle with.

I like to think of myself as someone who has come to a place in their life where they acknowledge this. I understand that not one person on this world is perfect, despite what we might believe. There are days where I feel really bad about myself: I feel as though my friends don't like me, I feel insecure about my body, and I don't feel as though I have much significance in the world. But that's not every single day. That's normal. Self love is about understanding yourself and your emotions, knowing that yeah, you might feel crummy one day, but that does not dictate your life, and does not value your worth. 

Just last night I was feeling really down. I felt extremely insecure about every aspect of my life: my body, my academics, my relationships, my extra commitments. I felt as though the entire world was against me so, I took into consideration how I was feeling, laid in bed, and watched the Carrie Diaries. I was realizing that yeah, I feel bad tonight, but that does not mean I'm a bad person, that I am incapable of doing great things and being successful. I had to reassure myself that I am a worthy person and am making a change. I am loved.

We are all amazing people, capable of doing amazing things and changing the world. Sometimes we just need to crawl into bed and feel bad for ourselves. That's okay. Or, we might sit in a coffee shop for seven hours drinking chai tea lattes and people watching to make ourselves feel better. That's okay, too. Don't let people make you believe you need to feel amazing about yourself each day. Self love is a roller coaster and a never ending process. It doesn't just happen one day; it truly takes practice. Remember not to be so hard on yourself, listen to your body, and take care of yourself, physically, mentally, and emotionally. We will all be okay.

Cheers to you all, and I hope you have a lovely Tuesday.