Today I learned what it really means to love yourself. There is no cut and clear Oxford Dictionary definition to what it truly means, it's like a snowflake, unique to every single one of us. I can say that I don't fully love myself yet, but I think I know how I'm going to get there. I need to stop doubting myself, in all situations, whether it is how to reply to someone, how I need to be acting all the time in public, or just decisions that I need to make. I'm learning that while I may not always make the right decisions, I always learn and become a better person from each one. I need to trust my heart, do what I think is best for me and not constantly worry about being the person left behind. If I am the person left behind, there's no one stopping me from starting my own new path.
For me, learning to love myself is learning to accept myself, being okay with the human being I am, not be ashamed or try to hide that, but be confident. Confidence is something that is always easy for me to say I have and just as easy for me to fake. True confidence doesn't have to be feeling beautiful all the time or being one hundred percent comfortable with my body; true confidence is doing whatever it takes for me to be truly happy. Through surrounding myself with people who would drop anything to help me out if I need it, and encouraging myself to constantly grow, mature, and learn. By being my own biggest motivator and harshest critic, I know that I can be the best person I possibly can, and that is what brings me confidence.
Confidence is also standing up for myself, not just for what I believe in, but for when I can't let anyone take advantage of me. Just because someone says they like something, doesn't mean I automatically need to agree with them just to stay on their good side or just to make sure they still like me. Discussions, passion, beliefs are all what makes us human, what makes us distinct for one another.
There is no right or wrong answer in life, just what makes us happy and what we believe in, the people in your life don't always have to agree with everything that you do, they just have to understand your views and wholeheartedly support you. Confidence is not letting anyone take advantage of me, by telling me "No," when I say I like a certain television show, telling me they hate me just because I like to watch a specific show, and calling me a "b****," when I stand up for myself and say that we can both have our respective opinions. I will continue to like whatever I want to regardless of what the other person says. That to me is an act of strength, that to me is the person I want to be all the time, not the person who has to think one hundred times over before standing up for themselves. That to me was building my confidence and learning to love myself.
