Self-love has been a crucial growing point for me over the past few months. I’ve been trying to work towards this for some time now, but the true meaning of self-love has only recently sunk in. I had to focus on my personal growth while ignoring what others had to say. I had to start making decisions that made me feel good. I had to stop listening to the norm and follow my heart.
I’m in a generation that enjoys sharing all the amazing moments, while blurring out the imperfections. I’m guilty of doing that too, but I’m working towards not worrying about what others might think of my posts. Writing and publicizing my feelings through my blog has become my outlet to give meaning to the idea that not every day is perfect. I had to start ignoring the photos or stories from others online that somehow convinced me that other people loved themselves more than I could ever love myself. With each post I shared on my blog, I gained the strength to believe in myself. I can share my blissful moments while also sharing how I handle the not so happy ones.
There’s no realness when you’re admiring someone for their forced projection of happiness. I began pulling inspiration from woman/men on the internet that shared stories of how they coped with the hard times, while also teaching me how to embrace the good ones. This is where I began to flourish in turning my moments of self-doubt into important lessons. There was no connection to the people online who pretend that there’s hardly any effort or passion needed when creating a successful life for yourself. That’s the false hope some people develop when they use these people as a source of inspiration. What I’ve learned is that working hard and being passionate for something will bring you the most joy and success.
I started feeling more myself by putting more meaningful effort into my family and friends. I had to learn that even when working on myself, the people who love and support me the most will understand that sometimes I need time for myself. It’s hard to grow when you listen to too many opinions. I had to take the negative comments about my lifestyle, especially my blog, and use them as my motivation. I started dressing in ways that make me more comfortable. “Mom jeans” with a tucked in t-shirt, converse, and a belt have become a staple outfit for me, but that could change as my style develops! The more you allow yourself to discover new things that you may like, the more love you will feel towards yourself. Post what you want on social media, express how you feel to friends/family, do your makeup how you like, listen to the music you enjoy, go out and eat whatever you want at your favorite restaurant; no-one is stopping you. Please do what makes you happy, because I learned that the only person stopping you is you. As I started focusing on these tips, I started to see the change I’ve been wanting.
Stay rad,
Caroline Abigail
beyondthisfence.wordpress.com 