“In order to love who you are, you cannot hate the experiences that shaped you.” – Andrea Dykstra
Loving and accepting yourself is essential if you are seeking peace and joy in your life. Life is not easy. It is a rollercoaster of events and emotions. Everyone has faced challenges and traumatic events throughout their lives. We are shaped by our experiences and how we adapt to them. Where we are today and who we are is due to all the events that occurred to us and how we responded and adapted to those events. A different choice could have catapulted us in another direction.
Accepting and loving oneself includes the “bad” parts too. They are part of who we are. If life were easy, we would not grow as we have. We are resilient and stronger because of the challenges we have faced and overcome.
Love and accept yourself as you are. Most of us are our own worst critics. Being harsh and critical of oneself probably has not helped. Let us try a different approach. Speak to yourself and treat yourself as you would your best friend, a loved family member, or someone in need. We tend to be kinder to others. Become your best friend and the best version of yourself. The longest relationship you will have is the one with yourself. Accept you. Cultivate you. Value you.