Do you love yourself? And by loving yourself, I mean, do you really and truly, deep down, love every little thing about yourself? All of the experts tell us that you must love yourself before you can love others. Then, however, we are given all of these unrealistic standards that we hold ourselves and compare ourselves to, making it impossible to truly love ourselves. It is only through questioning these so-called standards and outside determinations of beauty that we can begin to really love ourselves.
Who determines what is beautiful? You do. However, your perception of beauty has been molded and shaped by many outside forces and influences around us. One of these is the media. While the media does not actually determine beauty, it feeds us an interpretation of beauty that has been accepted around the world. Why are we driven to buy the clothes we do, consume the things we do and make changes to our bodies to “improve” them? We are trying to fit into the perfect idea of beauty to which we have always been told we should aspire and that we have never questioned.
Have you ever questioned the things that you have been taught all your life? In 2019, we have more freedom than ever before to question things that we have always been taught or have always known. In addition to questioning societal norms, we need to begin to question things on a personal level. Our definition of beauty is one of the concepts that we should question. By accepting what we are told is so, we make it so. By being told all of our lives that beauty is a particular thing, we begin to accept that as true, even though facts may indicate differently. James Allen notes in his book, As A Man Thinketh, “A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts.” Our perception of ourselves influences our entire lives, as well as the way that we view others and the world around us. Unfortunately, we usually project onto people what we “think” they are, from our perceptions, when in reality, they aren’t what we “thought” at all.
Most people live their lives unknowingly, just going along with “the flow,” doing and thinking what has always been expected of them. It’s only when they start to open up their minds and change their perception of themselves and the world that things start to become more clear. Once you do this, you realize that things don’t have to be the way they’ve always been. Changing the ways in which you view yourself is the first step towards loving yourself and, in turn, changing your life.
Every day, I speak to people who want to change their lives and manifest their dreams, creating and fulfilling the desires and needs burning deep within their hearts. Many times I find that what is standing between them and having the things that they want is their own negative self-talk and negative beliefs. Most people are constantly comparing themselves to an image outside of themselves and are desperately trying to equal that image. They must begin to understand that in order to really look good and be beautiful, you must feel good from within. If you are happily expressing who you are, your vibrant energy will show through to yourself and to the world. If you really feel that you are enough within, and that you don’t have to live up to anyone’s preconceived notions of beauty, you will begin to attract experiences and people that value and love you for yourself.
How can you change the way you view, and value, yourself? There are many ways to begin to change your way of thinking. First, try to observe something with completely new eyes, without labeling it from something that you have been taught or that you just “know.” See it for all of its uniqueness, without any bias or slant on your part.
Another way that you can begin to celebrate your self is to begin each day with gratitude. When you get up in the morning, before your start your day, write down five things that you’re grateful for, and one thing that you’re going to accomplish that day. When you go to bed, write down five more things that you feel grateful for. The thing that you wish to accomplish that day can be simple, such as, “I’m going to smile at everyone I see today.” As you make these small changes, you will see that you will be feeling more positive and will be getting a positive reaction from the people you meet. You will be better able to celebrate who you truly are and to love yourself. These small changes will have a big impact on your life.
How often do you celebrate yourself? Is there anyone in your life who celebrates you? How would you celebrate yourself, right now, if you had nothing holding you back? Your answers to these questions can set you upon a road of self-discovery that leads to self-celebration. This is different for each one of us, but can be achieved when we begin to make small changes in our lives.
Celebrate yourself and who you truly are. Live the life you love. When we begin to love every single part of ourselves, we become unstoppable. We start to perceive the outer world through the true essence of our inner being. When we commence in making small changes in our lives, the world around us begins to change as well. You will start seeing possibilities in your life and no longer see roadblocks.
