Here's the thing: you've gotta learn to love yourself or you won't be in a space to fully love, support, and encourage others. I'm fortunate to have a husband who tells me multiple times a day how beautiful/amazing/sexy I am. He's more smitten with me than I've ever been with myself, so I cast a jaded glance in his direction when he tells me those things. Except he doesn't mean just looks – he tells me I'm a beautiful person as well. Nobody else may see me that way, but through his lens he does and he tells me every day, without fail.
All too often, I see other women and think, "Oh, her face is pretty and mine's so average' or 'she's so tall and I'm only 5'4'. I've always battled weight issues since I was a little girl, whereas some women were born a size 0 and stayed that way – they didn't have to eat a piece of fruit a day and nothing else to fit into that size 5 blue homecoming dress back in the day! By the way, that's incredibly unhealthy, so don't eat just one piece of fruit a day!
Then again, I'm just me and I have unique qualities nobody else has. There's only one Bev, and I like her better now than I ever have. Oh, I still have days when I lament what it would be like to be a trophy wife who looks great on someone's arm, but I guarantee you she doesn't have my personality. I'd rather have substance than a vapid, nonexistent personality and only looks to go on. Looks fade; personality lingers.
So, yeah, ladies. It's hard as hell, but keep working on loving yourself. It sets the foundation for opening up and loving others, as well as calling bullshit on yourself when you're not being as authentic as you should or could be. It's a lifelong journey that's not easy, but it's worth it. There's only one [insert your name here] in this world. Love who she is, flaws and all. Then let others know you love them, too – just as they are.
