“When you accept yourself, the whole world accepts you.”
Easier said than done, right?
To love yourself at the current moment is complex enough, but what about who you used to be? What about the parts of yourself you aren’t proud of? What about the tedious pieces which still need tending to?
To truly love yourself, you must accept the unrecognizable part of yourself as well. These are the parts we condemn and pretend don’t exist. They may manifest from insecurities, ignorance, rejection, regret, shame, guilt, etc.
Self-love is the most paramount, powerful project we work on in our lives. It’s an eternal effort. There’s no point where you can say, “I have arrived.” No matter how much work you do today, there’s always going to be work waiting tomorrow. But isn’t that the fun part? Disinterest is…. death?
Without a doubt, there are times I haven’t been the most proud of. Times that make it tougher to accept my full self. But what I am the most proud of? My growth and my open mindset. Look at who I am today. What I stand for. What I advocate for. My values. Surely it’s more of an accomplishment to experience growth than to start and end in the same place. Maybe I’ll look back on this version of myself 10 years from now and *facepalm.* But that amount of self-improvement is indeed the intention, isn’t it?
Love is what makes life worth living. Self love is the first pillar. So this Valentine’s Day, let’s take an extra moment to appreciate, love, and accept ourselves today, too. You and me together.
How have you been learning to accept yourself? What does self-love mean to you?
“To find the good life you must first find yourself.”
Thanks for reading and I’d love to hear your thoughts <3
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My personal blog can be found here.