10 Things you need to know about you

These are the things I know:

1. You are incredible. You are. Your unique combination of funny and smart and kind and business savvy and genuine and compassionate and tolerant and drive. Every piece of you that is thriving, and all the pieces that have been pushed aside, is incredible.
2. You are worthy. Of whatever it is you think you aren’t. Self love, or love from another person, or respect, or success. Whatever it is that you believe you couldn’t possibly earn, I’m here to tell you that’s bullshit, because see #1.
3. Learning these things takes time. It doesn't happen overnight. You can’t just snap your fingers one day and then BOOM, suddenly you've unlearned the lifetime of guilt and shame and self hatred. As much as the rest of the world wishes, it doesn't work that way.
4. Self Love is like learning a language. You can’t just open your mouth and speak it. You have to hear it around you. You have to immerse yourself in it and try it, little by little, without getting discouraged, without faulting yourself for not knowing it immediately. It takes practice, and saying it to yourself over and over, even if you don’t know what you’re saying at the moment. Because one day you will.
5. You are not a unicorn. You are not the only person who has ever felt this way, and you will not be the last. But this also means that you are part of a greater collective of people feeling exactly the same way as you. Utilize this.
6. Stop trying to be perfect. Because I’ll tell you right now, it doesn’t exist. There is no perfect body, there is no perfect man. The only form of perfect that anyone can possibly achieve is finding true acceptance and happiness within themselves (see above).
7. You cannot hate yourself into loving yourself.
8. You were never happy when you were trying to be perfect. Think about it. All the hours, days, weeks, years you’ve spent at war with yourself - were you ever happy? When you were trying your absolute hardest to be perfect? Where did it get you?
9. You are perfect to someone. Look at the people who love you, see how they love you. Realize what they love you for. Take time every single day to pick out something you like about yourself. Acknowledge it. Honor it.
10. Only love leads to love. ​