#selflovemonth

Self-Love and Self-Appreciation are both things that I believe everyone struggles with at sometime in their life. I know for a fact that it is something that I have struggled with, and still do. We see certain things about ourselves that no one else sees and they bother us. Our brains at times seem wired to find flaws instead of appreciate what makes us, us.

I have struggled with my self image as long as I can remember. I never had the flawless skin or the prettiest hair, I’ve always been on the heavier side. I let the fact that I didn’t fit the media’s mold of perfection get to me. I yearned to be accepted.

I finally began to accept the way I looked and love myself once I met my husband. This guy can look at me when I am at my worst and still call me beautiful! His willingness to love me helped me learn to love myself. Don’t get me wrong I am not saying to go find a guy or girl to help you love yourself because it doesn’t work like that. I looked to people my whole life but never felt beautiful until I met my husband. The way he respected me taught me to respect myself. I began to look at myself through different eyes, his eyes.

After having my amazing little boy I began to slowly sink back into that judgmental state. Not only did I gain weight but my stomach was now covered in tiger stripes. My body something that I had just began to love became something I didn’t even recognize anymore.

My Postpartum Body

My Postpartum Body. Photo Credit-Hope Alvarez Photography

Learning to love yourself comes by slowing down and taking the time to appreciate yourself, perfection and flaws included. Each scar and stretch mark tells a story. Someone thinks you are beautiful even when you don’t feel it.

Beauty isn’t a feeling it is a characteristic or much rather a state of being. Whether you see it or not you are beautiful. I know I don’t see it often, but when I do see it I always tell my husband “I feel beautiful today!” he always replies to that with “You always are.” Just because you may be feeling at your worst doesn’t mean you aren’t beautiful.

Self-Love is defined as feeling valuable and a worthy person. The moment you begin to love yourself is the moment you step into who you are. Fears and doubts suddenly disappear because you know that you are worth something. You not only begin learning to love yourself, you see people from a different perspective, in turn loving them because you see the true value of somebody!

In case no one has told you today let me tell you these few things. You are beautiful!!! You are smart! You are kind! You are loved! You are not alone! Just because you don’t fit society’s mold of perfection doesn’t mean you have to change to fit that mold because you are perfect they way that God made you! There is no better time to start loving yourself than today!