Self love in the eyes of an 18 year old
So I am currently 18. And it is for a fact that there are many things that I don’t know. But today I would like to talk about what self- love means for me.
It was in 2021 that I had decided that I would change myself and I would give myself the love I did not get. It’s 2023 now and my perceptions on the whole concept of self love has changed. I have been influenced by the self growth influencers, the that girl trend and I have taken my time unlearning some of those things while also modifying certain ideas. I joined the productivity community and I am still a part of it because I met some amazing people there but might I add, my definition of productivity has changed over the years. I still have a lot to learn but I would like to share some things that I realised in my journey so far.
Self love is a journey, not a destination.
In the beginning, I did not know that. For all I knew I was certain self love was sort of the final stage of happiness. But then I came to realise that it is a process . It is a continuous process to become a better version of you. There is no end to it because the capacity for improvement has no end to it. You might be at the top but there’ll always be space and room for improvement. At times this idea of self love being a journey might feel overwhelming and exhausting but once you get into it, you realise oh actually it’s not that bad.
Self love is an umbrella term.
Now this one. For me, self love includes self improvement, self growth, self validation, self care. All of it. Everything related to you, the better you. It means doing your skin care routine in the morning but it also means attending your classes in University or just chasing whatever your dreams are. It’s as much about working to get your things done as it is about relaxing and reading your favourite book. So do not fall into the trap of fake working. I procrastinated for a long time by disguising it as self care by doing elaborate morning and night rituals and at the end, I got none of my studying done which only added to my stress. Please make an effort to face your fears because all of it comes under self loving. Loving yourself includes giving yourself a better life, it includes resting when needed, it includes eating healthy and taking care of your body. Trust me, it’s that growth mindset you build in your journey of self love that will help you face any problems you face in life.
Self love is very very personal.
It might not look the same for everyone. There is no one way to practice self love because we are all different human beings. You are allowed to have your own positive interpretations of what self love means to you. But dear reader, I would like to remind you that at the end of the day, self love is all about becoming a better you, a happier you and a content you. For me personally, I practice self love by being kind to myself when I make a mistake while also calling myself out for the same so that I don’t repeat it. And it’s trial and error. It’s also about figuring out what works for you and what doesn’t so that you can maintain the work-life balance.
I feel that loving yourself and starting your journey to a better version of you is rather important. We live such a short life, it would be a waste if we cannot live till the fullest ! Perhaps some day, 10 years from now, I’ll look back at this article. By then I’ll probably have learnt more about self love and I look forward to learning as I go. To anyone who is starting their self love journey, I wish you luck !
