THE JOURNEY TO SELF-LOVE

SELF-LOVE.

 

This topic is dear to my heart because I have to admit that I’ve been a victim of low self-esteem. Until recently I constantly felt sad and disappointed in myself, realizing I was stuck in a loop of resentment compelled me to take action, for no one’s benefit but my own. It was very important for me to embark on a journey to find happiness and retrieve all the love for myself that I had lost over the years. It has taken almost a year to fall in love with myself but I’m grateful.

 

Low self-esteem tendencies trail back to childhood traumas where caregivers may have neglected or sexually, physically, verbally and emotionally abused the victim, it could also be a result of ongoing stressful life events such as relationship breakdown, financial trouble and being in an abusive relationship. The first and most important way to heal this traumatic experience is by acknowledging and recognizing the trauma for what it is. After recognizing your trauma it’s important to seek therapy and counseling, this can be done by going through counselling sessions with a certified therapist, meditation, and reading motivational books which have been a big part of my journey.

I want to admit that being at a point where you feel worthy is not something that happens overnight, it’s a journey of wins and setbacks. There will be times when you are proud of the progress, and other times you will be so anxious and wondering if you could keep up with the new you. First of all, you should appreciate the fact that you are making progress and then live the rest to God.

Do you know that God loves you so much hence he created you in his own image? he wants you to be proud of who you are,  set healthy boundaries, treat yourself as the king/queen you are and  feel worthy.Don't try to impress people because they will forever try to find faults in every situation, most of them are suffering from low self-worth and they will try to project that onto you.

Signs of low self-esteem

·         Putting the needs of others before yourself

·         Feeling of inadequacy

·         Depression

·         Anxiety

·         Low expectations of yourself

·         Difficulty in making and maintaining  relationships

·         Difficulty receiving compliments

·         Avoiding social situations

·         Saying negative things and being critical of yourself

·         Avoiding challenges for fear of failing

 

 

 

5 Tips to improve your self-esteem

        I.            Be kind to yourself- Being kind to others comes naturally but being kind to ourselves may not. One of the best ways to show kindness to yourself is to take good care of yourself. Be well groomed, look after your appearance, get enough sleep, eat fruits and vegetables and drink a lot of water.

      II.            Respect yourself- Developing a strong sense of self-respect can help you fulfill your potential, develop healthy relationships, and help everybody around you see you as a person who is worthy of respect. Discover your principles, personality, and talents by making a list of people, feelings, and activities that are important to you.

    III.            Honor your dreams- Don’t downplay your dreams, take them seriously by turning them into goals and create a plan for achieving those goals.

    IV.            Build positive relationships- Try to spend less time with people who try to bring you down and spend more time with people who appreciate you.

      V.            Learn new skills- Knowing something other people doesn’t, helps you relate better and helps you gain admiration and respect among your peers.

 

Dear reader, the longest and closest relationship you will ever have is with yourself, this relationship is very important because it can influence all our other relationships by setting a tone for the relationships. I hope this article was insightful and that you will get inspired to fall in love with yourself!