In today's society, everyone praises love. Whether it is romantic love or the love you have for your friends, it is highly praised. However, a love that seems to go unnoticed is the one we need to have the most. That is the love we have for ourselves.

Basically, I'm writing this article to myself. I've had issues over the years with this. I've never been one to think very highly of myself. I would never let that show to anyone because I would hide behind jokes and laugh about myself to try and hide my insecurities. It took me up until recently to realize that the things I hate about myself, aren't really that bad.

I would be insecure about my eyes or my smile or my dimples. I would be insecure about my weight due to hurtful comments I heard over the years. I would be insecure about making people like me. I felt that everyone had to love me or else I'd be miserable. Little did I know that trying to make everyone love me would cause me to forget to love myself. I lost myself in the process of trying to gain everyone else. Most of the time I'd be hateful towards my friends and family and then just laugh it off like nothing was wrong. I'd never talk to anyone about it because I've always felt that my issues weren't actual issues. My fatal flaw is putting everyone above myself. The amount of love I have for people is astounding. It's my fatal flaw though because the energy I've put into loving the wrong people was love that I could have used on myself.

Learning to love yourself is kind of scary, to be completely honest with you. Whenever you start to pursue your dreams, you lose people who don't have the same passion as you do. Growing up has a lot to do with learning to love yourself. You'll grow up and lose people you thought you'd have in your life forever. I've lost some friends I expected to be there on my wedding day. However, not everyone you lose is a loss. Losing someone that meant a lot to me was the start of me loving myself. Being hurt by someone who meant the world to me was a reality check. I realized that I had given away so much love, that I barely had any left for myself. That is when I began to love myself.

I knew that I can love myself more than any stinking boy could. I began growing in my relationship with Christ. I started working my business more. I grew closer with my amazing sorority sisters. My family and close friends became more important to me. I started chasing things that I had a passion for. It no longer was about everyone else's happiness, it was about mine.

I highly encourage taking a step back and putting your priorities in order. Loving yourself is something you have to do in order to have a happy life You're the one in charge of your own happiness. No silly boy, scale number, clothing size, job title, GPA, is in charge of your happiness. You are. In case you haven't told yourself this today, you're beautiful. You're funny. You're intelligent. You will be successful. You have an amazing life and it will just continue to get better. Love yourself, because if you don't love you, how do you expect anyone else to?

To the girl learning to love herself, you're a force to be reckoned with. Act like it. Show love. Be kind. You're phenomenal and I cannot wait for all the world to realize it. I hope this helped you know that you're not the only one struggling with loving yourself again. You will move mountains, little one. I believe in you.