As women, each of us are guilty of being self-deprecating. We wake up in the morning, go to the mirror, inspect our bodies critically, and scowl. We notice all the flaws, all the imperfections, and give no credit to ourselves.
Stop it.
Before we go any further, I want you to hug yourself. I want you to wrap your arms around you and hug yourself. Then I want you to close your eyes, focus all of your positive energy inward and say:
“I am beautiful.”
See, now was that so hard?
We spend so much time treating ourselves negatively, and all of these negative thoughts carry energy. That negative energy depletes us, makes us weaker, and drops us into a place that we just don’t need to be in. Unfortunately, a lot of this negativity comes from the way the world has treated us in the past, how those who have been close to us have hurt us.
It’s time to let it go and live the life you deserve. Loving yourself is the key to your self-esteem, as Maraboli says it sets the standard for how others will treat you. Do you not deserve better than what you’ve given yourself until now?
Whether you believe it or not, the simple answer is that you do. You do deserve better. You are worthy of others’ respect, and you are worthy of your own respect.
You have been given one extraordinary life to lead, and one unique and beautiful body to live in. Honor yourself and honor it.
And feel free to start small. Next time you wake up and go to the mirror, instead of immediately looking for the negative things, find something positive. Focus on that thing, and tell yourself how good it is. Repeat until the good is all you see. Because trust me, in you there is so much more good that you even realize.
“Love yourself. Forgive yourself. Be true to yourself. How you treat yourself sets the standard for how others will treat you.”
– Steve Maraboli
