Let It Go. Let It Be: Understanding Self-Love Through Personal Growth
You’ll understand the meaning behind these words later in the article. For a long time, I never truly grasped the concept of loving myself. I used to think that practicing self-care equated to self-love. However, self-care and self-love are different. Self-love is about fully accepting yourself for who you are and filling yourself with love.
Treating Yourself Like a Best Friend
Imagine being with your best friend. How would you show love to them? How would you feel in their presence? How would you support them? Here’s how I would treat a best friend:
Listen with an open heart and mind
Wholeheartedly support them in good times and bad
Accept them exactly as they are without making them feel guilty
Show compassion and gratitude
Share love and encouragement at all times
Be honest and loyal
Protect and take care of them
Speak and act kindly towards them
Be my true self
Share my personal journey and experiences to benefit them
My Journey to Self-Love
Truthfully, I have only done about half of these things for myself. When I took a 90-day break from social media to focus on myself, I felt grounded and content with who I was. I wasn’t trying to prove myself to anyone and surrounded myself with people who brought me joy and support. I made time for myself.
Upon returning to social media, I noticed a shift. I began seeking validation and felt my grounding compromised. My scrolling became addictive, consuming too much information too quickly. I contemplated another break from social media but chose to use it as a tool to identify my pain points.
I confided in a friend about my desire to stop hiding myself, even if it meant appearing vulnerable. On my new social media account @thewuji, I started writing from my soul almost every day. I only wrote when the message came from within, not from external influences. Each time I wrote, I felt better about myself.
Posting on my original personal page became uncomfortable, but I persisted. I had to view myself from a third-person perspective and become comfortable with vulnerability. The Universe removed some people from my life and introduced others. These new relationships with my truer self were incredible. I always felt heard and supported.
Progress and Acceptance
To this day, distinguishing between my ego and my soul remains challenging. While I’ve made progress, some uncertainties persist. However, each day, I feel better about who I am. I’m comfortable voicing my vulnerabilities and am experiencing more self-love and acceptance. My self-worth and confidence have grown. I’m less defensive because I’m at peace with who I am. I’m more comfortable agreeing to disagree. A part of my pain has dissipated, and I am genuinely happy with the progress I’ve made by choosing not to hide myself anymore. After all, it’s about being 1% better every day, right?
Mantra for Self-Love
"I embrace myself with love and acceptance, treating myself with the same kindness and support I offer to my closest friend. I am growing, evolving, and becoming more aligned with my true self every day."
