Self-love to me is digging deeper into the knowing of who you truly are. Accepting the flaws, and striping ourselves entirely of the beauty standards that were once programmed to us. If I can be raw for a moment beauties I’ve struggled with self-love for years because it was something that just wasn’t taught in my community growing up.
Sometimes, people don’t realize the power of their words, and instilling those same words into the mind. For example, if you took positive words and stamp those words into your mind. Your life will start to manifest differently; you will start to attract positive things and people around you. Some might call this law of attraction, others might call it the power of the tongue.
In essence, not hearing powerful words of affirmation oftentimes as a young child such as, you are beautiful, you are kind, you will be great. I grew up without a sense of not knowing the beauty within myself. Which eventually caused lost puppy syndrome, then ultimately opened up doors that made me question my sense of self. Who am I? What defines me? And not the person I was trying to be. Whereas this person I was trying to be, wasn’t realistic but a product of what I learned from my environment. Every influence I've seen, from the magazines, television, music videos, substandard friend groups, beauty billboards, etc.
Now fast forward years later where the era of social media begins. Social media was originally set up to rate looks. This began back in 2003 as Facemash, an online service where students judged the attractiveness of their fellow peers. Furthermore, we have likes, retweets, shares, and subscribe buttons that are put in place to rate how good we are/look. We cannot deny there is a beauty standard and 90% of society doesn't fit in and the other 4% of society are almost there and then you have your 1% that are ideal. So this is why most of us try to look a certain way to be perceived a certain way because we consciously/subconsciously try to fit into this box.
As I grew older, I started gaining an understanding that what I was searching for wasn’t about hearing affirmations from someone else. But ultimately, believing in myself and believing these words for myself! It might sound cliché, but for me, that was the first step in my journey! Striping myself entirely of what I was taught/ programmed to be and building myself from scratch. Getting back to who I truly was! Healing the beautiful little girl inside because self-love is believing that you are beautiful inside and out! And the journey begins when you plant these seeds of belief, water them, and nature them. There is no skipping ahead! Beauty standards are always changing, but your belief in your beauty will never change, it shines even through your flaws.
Sometimes, people don’t realize the power of their words, and instilling those same words into the mind. For example, if you took positive words and stamp those words into your mind. Your life will start to manifest differently; you will start to attract positive things and people around you. Some might call this law of attraction, others might call it the power of the tongue.
In essence, not hearing powerful words of affirmation oftentimes as a young child such as, you are beautiful, you are kind, you will be great. I grew up without a sense of not knowing the beauty within myself. Which eventually caused lost puppy syndrome, then ultimately opened up doors that made me question my sense of self. Who am I? What defines me? And not the person I was trying to be. Whereas this person I was trying to be, wasn’t realistic but a product of what I learned from my environment. Every influence I've seen, from the magazines, television, music videos, substandard friend groups, beauty billboards, etc.
Now fast forward years later where the era of social media begins. Social media was originally set up to rate looks. This began back in 2003 as Facemash, an online service where students judged the attractiveness of their fellow peers. Furthermore, we have likes, retweets, shares, and subscribe buttons that are put in place to rate how good we are/look. We cannot deny there is a beauty standard and 90% of society doesn't fit in and the other 4% of society are almost there and then you have your 1% that are ideal. So this is why most of us try to look a certain way to be perceived a certain way because we consciously/subconsciously try to fit into this box.
As I grew older, I started gaining an understanding that what I was searching for wasn’t about hearing affirmations from someone else. But ultimately, believing in myself and believing these words for myself! It might sound cliché, but for me, that was the first step in my journey! Striping myself entirely of what I was taught/ programmed to be and building myself from scratch. Getting back to who I truly was! Healing the beautiful little girl inside because self-love is believing that you are beautiful inside and out! And the journey begins when you plant these seeds of belief, water them, and nature them. There is no skipping ahead! Beauty standards are always changing, but your belief in your beauty will never change, it shines even through your flaws.
