📞 2003 Called, and It Wants You to Love Yourself More!
Let's take a little trip back to 2003—wasn't that just the other day? Or maybe my age is showing! Anyway, Gavin DeGraw's song "I Don't Want to Be" was a huge hit back then, and the lyrics still resonate today:
🎶🎶"I don't want to be anything other than what I've been trying to be lately."🎶
These words capture a truth that's easy to forget in a world full of expectations: the power of showing up as exactly who you are.
It was a long and winding road for me to learn this lesson. Imagine being a teen mom, juggling work, college, and raising a child—talk about a crash course in life! As if that wasn't enough, I had to navigate all of it as a Black woman in spaces that didn't always make me feel welcome. The pressure to fit into someone else's idea of who I should be was sometimes overwhelming. But something shifted when I decided to stop trying to meet everyone else's expectations and start living for myself (trust me, it was a process, not something that happened overnight).
Self-love isn't just about bubble baths and positive affirmations (though those are great, too!). It's about valuing yourself enough to say, "No, this isn't right for me," and pursuing what makes you truly happy. This meant not letting any challenges of my circumstances define me. I chose to see my worth, even when the world around me didn't.
Self-acceptance is the next step. It's about embracing every part of who you are—your quirks, flaws, and strengths. As a BIPOC woman navigating the world, I've faced unique challenges, but I've also gained incredible resilience from those experiences. Accepting all of that, the good and the tough, has been vital in embracing who I am today.
And then there's confidence. Real confidence comes from self-love and self-acceptance. It's not about being fearless but about trusting that you have something valuable to offer just as you are. Even on days when doubts creep in, confidence keeps you moving forward.
DeGraw's lyrics remind me that we don't need to be anything other than ourselves. When we accept and love who we are, we unlock a life of genuine fulfillment.
So, as you reflect on your journey, I invite you to ask yourself: Am I loving myself enough to follow my true desires? Am I accepting all the parts of myself, even the ones that feel less than perfect? And is that self-love fueling my confidence?
I'm here if you want someone to walk alongside you as you explore these questions. As your thought partner, I can support you as you discover how to live more authentically with all the self-love, acceptance, and confidence you deserve.
Love and light,
Shelley