2015: The Year of Self Celebration

{View this outfit here}

Let's start this bluntly: 2014 was not my year. There were a lot of amazing experiences, like visiting my aunt on the east coast, working full time, helping Chris move into a house, finishing my first year of college, and celebrating many birthdays, special occasions, and holidays, but I don't think this is going to be a year I look back on and admire. Even though it's just a different year and nothing is actually changing, I have hopes for 2015. I have attainable goals, plans, and many wants that I hope to accomplish and attain this year. My first goal: learn to be more loving of myself, understanding of my accomplishments, and feeling secure on my pride.

"Pride" is a strange word. I believe in humility and learning not to brag, but I also believe we should be proud of ourselves and give ourselves the recognition we deserve. Too often we are told not to "so full of yourself", hide our successes, and dismiss compliments, especially as young women. Pride is often associated with a negative connotation, often with being stubborn and full of oneself. Why? Why are we shamed for being proud of ourselves?

This year is about celebrating myself (remember, this blog is about celebrating everything). I think it's time I no longer dismiss compliments with phrases like "oh no way!" or by redirecting the conversation elsewhere. It's important for all of us to understand that accepting a compliment is both good and healthy. It's not saying "I think highly of myself" (which is okay, too) or "Yeah, I know." It's understanding that loving yourself and feeling good about yourself should be an everyday occurrence, not an occasional one. It's okay (and quite awesome!) to feel beautiful or hot and to acknowledge that. Take selfies (one of my 2015 goals: take more selfies), look at yourself in the mirror as much as you want, and smile! As silly as it sounds, taking selfies is not a bad thing - it's fun and makes you feel like an A+!

I'm also working on acknowledging my successes, skills, and personality traits. It's too easy to avoid acknowledging that yes, you are good at something. I'm good at my job - I have a lot of experience in retail, but I also really enjoy talking with customers and I have really great customer service skills. It took me a long time to realize and acknowledge that yeah, I am good at my job! I should feel good about that. Sharing how you are a great writer, are good at making small talk, can run a 6 minute mile, or have aced a really tough exam doesn't make you bossy, controlling, or conceited, words that are often used to describe women who understand their strengths. Its' time we destroy that idea and we become proud of who we are. 

Self love and becoming comfortable with yourself is an ongoing project. There will be days that we wake up feeling crummy, insecure, and need time to stay in bed with ourselves and Netflix, and that's understandable. There isn't anyone who wakes up every morning feeling 100% amazing about themselves. It's a battle that will never have one peak. But that's what this year is about: celebrating myself and knowing that working on my self love.

Cheers!