“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” —Oscar Wilde
Summer is quickly approaching and while the temperature is rising, so is the pressure to look “good” with less clothes on.
The media coined “bikini body” has many people working so hard to become something that they’re not that they forget who they are.
It can be easy to fall into the mindset of feeling like you aren’t worthy of showing any skin unless you look a certain way.
This can lead to some seriously negative and harmful self-sabotage:
“I’m so ugly. Why would anyone want to look at me in a bikini?”
“I can’t believe how fat I am. I wish I could just lose 15 pounds. Then I’d be happy.”
“I don’t deserve love. How could anyone love this?”
“I’m not surprised so-and-so doesn’t want to date me. Who would looking like this?”
This kind of conversation with yourself blocks your innate capability for self-love and acceptance. If this attitude continues in the confines of your mind, no matter how much you try, you will never be able to lovingly accept yourself and all your bumpy bits.
Connecting with your authentic self will bring such a sense of peace and love that you will wonder why you didn’t do it long ago. Away with the haters and the shamers...you are you and that is divine!
When was the last time you told yourself, “I love you” and really meant it? When was the last time you felt complete within? Practicing self-love is the most powerful thing you can do to improve your life.
You see the quote all the time, “Before you can love anyone, you must love yourself” and maybe because we see this so frequently, we have become sort of desensitized to the power of these words and the power of loving ourselves, just as we are.
Love is the answer.
Love is freedom.
Love is the soul in it’s purest form.
While it takes a lot of work to overcome the pressure put on you by society and yourself, the following loving affirmations can help you chip away at the wall you’ve built against self-love and your authentic self.
Are you ready to accept the challenge of loving yourself?
Say these affirmations aloud each morning and night while looking deep into your own eyes in the mirror...and smile.
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I love you
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I am a unique and a very special person and worthy of respect from others
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I accept others as they are and open myself to be accepted
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I am happy with my appearance
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What I have to offer from my heart is what makes every inch of my body beautiful
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It matters little what others say. What matters is how I react and what I believe
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I have a “bikini body” because I have a BODY! (And it's beautiful)
You deserve to exercise your power of choice and wear whatever it is that allows you to express yourself. Once you believe this, you will be set free!
Together we can rise above this unrealistic pressure to conform. Together we can celebrate every body and the right to wear what we please on the beach, at the pool or to the park. Together we can redefine the “bikini body” and show our society that we are more than a 36” waistline.
Please share your journey to self-love with us in the comments below. You are not alone!
Her face still thick with sleep
Her eyes, sparkling with dreams
She looked in the mirror and smiled and said,
“I Love You!”
She did this everyday and everyday her heart grew.
Eventually she knew,
all she ever needed, she had.
Love.
(poem by Morgan Garza)