It's kind of like the trendy saying, "You have to love yourself before you can love other people," except I'm going to learn to love myself before I let a man love me.

2018 is going to be the year I love myself as much as I want to be loved by others. I'm going to practice self-love because I have finally realized it is NOT selfish to take care of myself. I want to feel happiness within myself before I can let anyone else feel that happiness with me. I want to work on myself this year and hopefully, the rest will follow.

"Don't chase love, money or success. Become the best version of yourself and those things will chase you" -Tony Gaskins

This year I will learn to forgive myself and stop holding myself to such high, impossible standards. I will accept my imperfections and realize there is beauty in my flaws. Once a person accepts their flaws, nobody else can use them against us... And that's what I intend to do. I want to forgive myself for many reasons, but ultimately because with forgiveness comes compassion and strength.

I will love myself before I let a man love me because I am worth more than just another person's love. I am worth the love that I have for myself. I will celebrate myself and believe in my value before I let someone else into my life. I will do for myself what is best for me, without another person involved. Before I let a man love me I will make myself a priority, I will listen to my heart, work through obstacles with my well-being in mind, and maintain a healthy relationship with myself.

Someday I will let a man love me, but not until I love myself first.