Why Self-Love Is So Important
Of all the things we might have taught you on this platform, this is about to be the most important. If we were you, we¡¯d take notes. We have a favourite quote that goes a little something like this ¡®So many years of education yet no one ever taught us how to love ourselves and why it¡¯s so important.¡¯ This hit us right in the feels, and so we thought it was imperative to talk about the elusive but prestigious ¡®self love club¡¯ and how you could become a life member!
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We live in complicated times
Although we reek of privilege and entitlement when compared to the generations before us, we also have it rough in some aspects. Our elders lived in simpler times whereas we live in complicated times that make us susceptible to a lot more mental health issues.
It¡¯s all digital
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We are plugged in from the moment we wake up to the moment we fall asleep. We are dependent on phones, tabs, and a bazillion other gadgets. We lack human interaction and barely get to spend any time with nature. This, again, paves the way for anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues.
Log kya kahenge
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No matter how much we may have progressed as a nation, we are still victims to this age-old mentality. It¡¯s not your fault alone; it¡¯s just something that¡¯s deeply ingrained in us. As a result, we are perpetually unhappy and we tend to waste our time on unrealistic goals set by society.
Adulting is hard
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No one reminds us to go easy on ourselves when life takes its tolls on our young yet overworked minds. Trying to balance work, social life, family life, and everything else is no easy task, and we find ourselves crumbling under the weight of it all.
These are just some of the reasons why self-love is so important. Nothing and no one can save your soul the way you can.
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Life can throw many curveballs your way (and trust us, it will) but we need to have a healthy amount of confidence, and we need to love ourselves immensely to swim through the high tide when needed. Growing up in a country like ours can be a challenging experience. We are always taught to listen to our parents and teachers (and all elders) before we are taught to listen to ourselves. This is a problem because as you age, these voices around you may grow louder or altogether diminish. It¡¯s very important to have a loving, comfortable relationship with yourself. Every relationship we have in our life is simply a reflection of our relationship with our own selves. Have you ever watched a perfectly nice person date someone unbearably toxic? It makes no logical sense, right? But it does once you understand the concept of self-love. If you love yourself, you will never allow someone to treat you badly. Hard truth to accept, but it is what it is.
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Another problem in our culture is the guilt attached to attaining good things in life and following our dreams. Thankfully, that is changing with more and more people following their passions, but we still have a long way to go. The unnecessary emphasis on conforming and the outdated view on stability is something our generation has to battle with all the time. Self-love is important because it¡¯s about making yourself happy first. It doesn¡¯t matter what others think. Are you proud of yourself? Are you moving towards your own goals? Are you able to sleep at night? Because that¡¯s what is most important.
As we grow older, our bodies age and it¡¯s perfectly normal. Without self-love, every new wrinkle and every new kilo will seem life defining. Newsflash: it¡¯s not! No matter how many people point out your so-called ¡®flaws¡¯, you¡¯ve got to love yourself enough to shrug it off. You may choose to even work on this ¡®flaw¡¯ if you want, but it should be because you think it¡¯ll make you happier/better/fitter. It shouldn¡¯t be because someone said something to you, and it¡¯s making you lose sleep.
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Now, how does one enter this ¡®self-love¡¯ club, you ask? The answer is simple in theory, but not in practice. It comes with time, patience, and a lot of perseverance. But we¡¯d still recommend you work on your relationship with yourself, because it¡¯s the longest one you¡¯ll have.
To love yourself you¡¯ve to forgive yourself easily and often. You have to cut out the noise and make me-time happen. You have to stop justifying your behavior to others, and be more accepting of your own habits and ways. You have to love your body. You have to choose people around you wisely ¨C only allowing those who raise your vibrations to be part of your inner circle. You have to work hard, but know when to take a much-needed break. And you have to STOP talking down to yourself.
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These are just a few simple yet important hacks to get initiated into the ¡®self-love¡¯ club. We hope you imbibe them and go on to do amazing things, uninhibitedly, with your one wild and beautiful life.
