Your self-love journey is a continuing journey that people may still struggle with today. Loving yourself isn’t easy but it is a choice that you should constantly choose. Every day we are choosing what we plan for ourselves. We choose how we think and act. We sometimes forget that the one thing we truly have within our control is ourselves. So, choose to love yourself. Authenticity is a risk in putting yourself out there in the world. It’s scary, but there’s even more risk in hiding who you truly are and what you can give to the world.
Self-love to me, personally, is choosing myself every day. In the past I’ve entertained the wrong things with the wrong people because I struggled with loving myself. I tried to measure up to people’s expectations where I would burn myself out. I would put a facade to mask the despair I hid within myself. I was afraid to lose what I loved the most, but the irony of it all was I lost myself. It came to the point where my choices to numb the pain with too much alcohol and drugs became a habit. My life became an emotionless routine as my body and mental health deteriorated. I decided to take responsibility for myself, because that’s where the real learning begins. Loving myself was something I needed to accomplish. The first step I took was understanding that life doesn’t come with guarantees. It involves vulnerability and often pain. But that’s when growth emerged, by understanding my pain.
Growth doesn’t just happen overnight. It takes courage, patience and willingness to do so. Personal development became my addiction. Being able to improve myself and be better each day was euphoric. I dedicated late nights and early mornings to my schooling, work, and counseling. In my leisure time, I would read self-help books. I do things that brought happiness in my life. These things included going out, exercising, and spending time with family and friends.
Self-love is a process, there will never be a finish line. There will always be more that I could improve on, more I can learn from, more kindness I can show to myself and others. Being able to have compassion and kindness for myself is something I need to remind myself constantly. Yes, I’m deeply flawed in many ways, but that’s what makes me human. I will never be perfect but I know I deserve love anyway. I’m still on the path to loving myself and knowing myself fully and truthfully without hesitation. Now, in all honesty now more than ever, I will continue to love myself wholeheartedly.
No matter where you are in your self-love journey always remember…
I am enough.
Author: Karol Ann Aguila Instagram: @karolannnn
Editor: Mylinh Huynh
Publisher: Self First Club @selffirstclub