Photo by Bart Larue
Recently, I had a program in my residence hall where I asked residents the question “What do you love most about yourself?” Many people had a hard time answering this question and some did not even want to answer it at all. This program really shocked me because it made me see that most people find it difficult to talk about loving themselves.
In today’s society, people appear narcissistic or self-centered when they talk about themselves in an overly positive way. People also tend to feel judged by others if they share something about themselves or their bodies that empowers them. It is for these reasons, that self love has become an uncomfortable and underappreciated practice in today’s world.
However, we have to set aside these societal perceptions and learn that loving ourselves is not a bad thing. Finding something to love about yourself can be empowering, life changing and create a sense of joy in your life. All it takes is a little soul searching and asking yourself the question: What do you love most about yourself?
When I asked residents in the building to answer my question, many seemed uncomfortable and unwilling to want to respond. After a few minutes of awkward silence, people were able to come up with an answer. Sometimes, all it takes is any extra push to get people to talk about an unpopular topic such as self love.
Some of the answers people came up with were awesome. People said they love their smile, their drive, their hair, their motivation, their ability to make others happy, their nose ring, etc. I got the residents to write down their answers on a banner. I hung it up in our hall lobby for everyone to see in hopes that it will spark others to find what they love about themselves.
At the end of the day, you have to remember that only one of you exists in this world and for that reason alone you should love yourself.