Love Thy Self
“You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.” — Bob Marley
We all have felt very motivated sometimes. Like the sun is shining only so that it can shine upon us, the grass feels greener, the morning seems more spectacular and we feel like we can conquer the world. We feel the opportunities are endless and that there is no force on this earth that can stop us from achieving what we are set to achieve.
And then there are days when we feel like barely getting out of bed, sometimes we would get up, dress up only to sit in our beds to realize we are late for class. These are the days when we are not motivated at all. Just the mere existence is a struggle. We feel we are not good enough. We question all our choices. We would question life itself. Is life only the good days? Or only the bad days?
The answer is not quite so black and white. Life is in fact both the good days and the bad days that happen to us. There are some of us who have always known what they want to be in life. There are also those of us who are not so sure where we want to end up, what we want to be.
So if we have not figured out what we want to be and if we are struggling we may feel like we are not good enough compared to those who already have. This is just one occasion when we might feel this way. There could be so many instances in our everyday life where we feel inferior. In an instance, where we come across someone better looking than us or more talented or smarter, it is normal to feel inferior.
But with all these things going on, there are people who succeed amidst the competition and all the challenges that come their way. How is it that they have it under control? What is their secret?
To tell the truth it’s not rocket science. From a 2014 study, the survey shows that the generally happier people have learnt to accept themselves and to love themselves. They are simply satisfied with themselves and their achievements. They have realized that self-doubt and self-hate is not going to help with anything in life.
The ‘self-satisfied’ have analysed their characters, recognized their strengths and their flaws and they have found ways to improve their strengths while overcoming their weaknesses. They have learnt to walk away from people and situations that threaten their inner peace. They have set boundaries as to what they will tolerate. They have faith in themselves so that if someone challenges their beliefs, they have the strength to fight back and win.
Self-acceptance and self-love are not easy. It’s not easy to tell ourselves that we are enough and that things will be ok. It’s easier to join the bandwagon and point the finger at ourselves. It’s easier to hate ourselves. But nothing great comes easy. We have to believe in ourselves first and foremost. We have to believe in ourselves when no one else would. We should fight for our opinions and our worth. We have to forgive the mistakes we did and let go of the things that hold us back. We know ourselves the most so if we don’t fight for us, no one else will. Only we have control over ourselves, how we think of ourselves and how we treat ourselves matter the most. We should be good and do good.
In the world full of negativity and doubt, we should be the beacons of light. We should be the hope. Because we have so much potential in us that is yet to be uncovered. We are not getting closer to uncovering that if we waste time on doubting our options. Sometimes we may have not figured it out and that’s ok. We will in time to come. We can achieve whatever we set our minds to. We have to have faith. That’s how powerful our mind is. It’s the most powerful thing ever to exist, and we possess it. Stories of people who climbed the Everest from just their sheer will or the world’s fastest athletes, all their amazing journeys started when they started believing in themselves. As Confucius said “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”
When we were just children, there was bravery in us. If we wanted to sing we would sing. If we wanted to dance, we would. It didn’t matter who was watching or whether we had the slightest bit of talent or not. We did things because it made us feel happy. When we grew up, along the way we lost touch with that brave side of ours. That brave child still lives in each and every one of us. We have to find that child in us and once again love ourselves like we did when we were children. We should find that love and spread it.
I hope this speech from a movie resonates with you.
“It’s easy to feel hopeful on a beautiful day like today, but there will be dark days ahead of us too, and there’ll be days where you feel all alone, and that’s when hope is needed the most.
Keep it alive. No matter how buried it gets, or lost you feel, you must promise me, that you will hold on to hope and keep it alive.
We have to be greater than what we suffer. My wish for you, is to become hope. People need that.”
text Hashini Weerakoon
edited by Reshma Durai
