Self Loving
Self-love is an ever evolving journey, constantly shifting and growing with us. The way we nurture ourselves changes over time; some days, it’s making time to move your body, other days, it’s setting boundaries to protect your energy.
It is also as simple as taking care of your health, or making time for the things you love.
After attending a recent yoga class, I was inspired by a message about self-love that the instructor shared with us, of how she still remembers the most simple act of kindness from a classmate’s mother, in the third grade, even now in her mid thirties.
Think about the people who have impacted you positively in life. Friends, teachers, strangers, or perhaps a singular moment you’ll never forget. Maybe it’s one person, maybe it’s many. Chances are, they have no idea how much their words or actions meant to you.
Now, if you can think of someone who has moved you deeply, consider how many people you have unknowingly had the same effect on.
There is beauty in recognizing that the qualities we love in others exist within ourselves. Every interaction is a chance to pick and choose what we admire about a person and integrate it into our own being. I think this is what self-love is truly about — understanding that we are all mirrors of one another. What you love in someone else can equally reflect what you love within yourself.
When I think about my closest people in my life, I could easily fill pages with all the things I love about them. And not only could I fill these pages, but it would be incredibly easy to. Now let’s say I have to write a page about the things I love about myself. For some reason, this one doesn't come as easy.
But then I remember, these people have also chosen me in their lives, and that is really special. The same goes for you. The people you love most in life have chosen you right back.
We tend to be much more critical of ourselves than we are of others, especially when it comes to our appearance. It’s funny how easy it is to admire the beauty in those around us while picking apart our own reflection. Features passed down through generations somehow become flaws when we see them in ourselves. When I realized that my nose is my mothers, my eyes are my fathers, and my hands are my grandmother's, my perspective changed. These physical features are not just mine - they are pieces of people that have existed before my time, the reason I am even here; of people whom I love.
While physical appearance can influence our confidence, true beauty is found in the energy we carry with us. Confidence isn’t just about how we appear to the eye, but it’s about how we move through the world, the kindness we extend, and the love we give. Even on days when we don’t feel our best, can we still feel grounded in the way we treat others? Can we find security in knowing that our worth is not defined by a reflection, but by the warmth and presence we bring into the lives of those around us?
Can we remind ourselves that our inner beauty transcends any and all physicalities?
There is a Japanese legend that says, your present face is the face of the person you loved most in your past life. Maybe it’s time to view ourselves from a new perspective. Or perhaps, through the eyes of the child we used to be. Would you ever tell your younger self that their legs are too big, their eyebrows too bushy, or their nose too big? The only thing that has changed is the way we perceive ourselves. Our bodies are simply vessels for human experience. What truly defines us is the energy within.
We were never meant to see ourselves the way we do today. For most of human history, the only reflection we had was in still water. Mirrors are relatively new to our experience, yet they have come to dictate so much of our self worth. When you disconnect, when you step away from mirrors, or even avoid them for a day — take note of how you feel. What happens when you stop seeing yourself and simply start being yourself?
What happens when we become the most unapologetic version of ourselves?
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We believe in fostering a community that encourages these conversations — a space where we remind each other to love ourselves as deeply as we love the world around us. Whether it’s through reflection, connection, or embracing the present moment, self-love is always within reach. How are you showing up for yourself today?
