With Love, Thelms

In order to love someone else, you must first learn to love yourself.

I’m sure in someway, shape, or form we’ve all heard this statement time and time again. I mean, growing up, that’s all I ever heard. Childishly, I always figured it didn’t really mean anything because I knew I loved my mom; my dad; my family, but I wasn’t always so sure what it meant to love myself. As I entered into my teen years, life’s experiences got in the way and the negativity of my peers took center stage.

Kids were cruel, and at a young age (being oh so impressionable) I began to second guess who I was and the simple importance of me.

The time to really accept and love myself passed me by, as I instead focused on looking for that reassurance and confidence in some of those ‘cruel kids’. HA! Teenage years, boy I tell you.

It wasn’t until my senior year of high school that something really changed within me.

I looked at myself in the mirror one night, after talking to my mom; and began writing all the things I loved about myself on sticky notes and sticking it to my dresser.

Sidenote: (I know, I know — it was me being very ‘Being Mary Jane-ish, but what can I say? I thought it was cool lol)

From that moment forward I worked hard at making sure I no longer let others be the judge of my beauty and my brains, adopting a take it or leave it approach with others in relation to myself.

HONESTLY.

It wasn’t until then that I truly understood the importance of loving myself.

Though it may sound absurd to some, sometimes loving everyone but ourselves is the easiest thing in the world. We pay so much attention to how everyone else feels about us, that we never take out the time to actually figure out how we feel about ourselves.

We love food, we love him or her, we love life, we love shopping, we love our family, but do we love ourselves?

Instead of focusing on everyone or everything else, focus on you. Spend time with you and begin to understand and accept who you are. NO ONE and I mean NO ONE will ever accept you fully if you clearly don’t accept yourself. By not accepting yourself completely, you do yourself an injustice. You prohibit the allowance of people getting to know you in all your glory.

What are you afraid of? Flaws?

We all have flaws and anyone who tells you differently… well they’re just full of shit. I’m not saying pretend your flaws aren’t there but accept them. Love your flaws so much, that others have no choice but to love them as well.

I know that it’s easier said than done, but it’s achievable, believe me — I’m living proof. I’m not perfect and I don’t believe anyone is, but I’m damn sure not anything less than me and I value that more than anything.

If you don’t take anything away from this post, take this (the importance of loving yourself):

Look in the mirror. You are you and you’re never going to be anyone, but you. SO. Get to know you, get to loving you, always protect you, and stand beside you.

Show them all what you’re made of.

Light up the world babe,

Thelms xx

I’m wearing: Hanes Tee & Foreign Exchange pants (linked similar).

 

Photos by Julia Elizabeth