The Self-Love Challenge
Hey there Curvy Girls,
This week I would like to issue a challenge to all my readers. The challenge is a task that will push you emotionally, mentally, and spiritually and will be beneficial to you on your worst days.
The task is to LOVE, ENCOURAGE, AND BELIEVE in YOURSELF!
That’s right, I am asking you to love yourself this week. Love yourself, love your flaws, boost your own confidence, and be your own cheerleader.
The Self - Love Challenge, is inspired by two communities close to my heart, the Plus - size Community and African American/ Black community. I am completely in love with the self-confidence, body positive messages, and uprising of cultural awareness being inspired and shared all over the world. The power behind each message and campaign is simple yet wonderfully complex. The simplicity and complexity is self love and being proud of who we are as individuals. After experiencing an empowering Black History Month,I noticed a few things. For the whole month of February, I witnessed black people from all walks of life embrace their beauty and history without hesitation or fear. As a young black woman, from Caribbean descent, the self -acceptance and self - validation I witnessed warmed my heart. I saw a community display love for their culture and was unapologetic for how they felt.
Before I tell you how to complete the challenge I would like to tell you my story and passion behind this challenge.
I have struggled with self - esteem and self - confidence issues for a very long time, mostly through my teenage and preteen years. Through every crying and self loathing session, I always felt like I was not enough despite the love of my friends and family. My self - esteem issues ran deep, so deep that at times I truly did question life and my purpose. I never embraced my beauty because I was teased and bullied for being the “fat girl”. I always heard maybe you should lose some weight or if you slim down people won’t tease you. The so called “advice” made me feel worse and completely annoyed with anyone who gave it. I yearned to be comfortable in my own skin and craved that self - acceptance I lacked. No one could look at me and say “She suffers from low self-esteem“, because low self - esteem is not always visible.
I compared myself to my peers and hid how I truly felt about myself from everyone including my loved ones, who saw my inner and outer beauty. Their words and encouragement could not console me or take away that feeling of unworthiness. I had to be ready to love myself completely and embrace the power behind self love. It took me years to understand and accept my worth as person and reaffirm that if no one else loved me, I SHOULD love myself.
My journey to self - acceptance started when I prayed and asked God for relief from the inner pain I was feeling. I had hit such a low point in life that I contemplated suicide.He sent an answer through a stranger. She simply quoted a well known scripture, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made”- Psalm139:14.
That one phrase that I consistently heard from my mother and family, did not hit home until I was at the place to accept what it meant. It meant that my Creator took time to make me and make just the way He designed, I was beautiful in the eyes of God. That phrase led me to look in the mirror every morning and remind myself that I was and am wonderfully made. The power behind my own words made the difference. My words became a weapon and tool against the doubt and self - hatred that lived inside of me.
I created the Mirror of Encouragement and for a whole week I used my own words to encourage myself. This mirror helped shift my self - perception and fueled my self - acceptance.
My first Mirror had two phrases on it.
You are BEAUTIFUL and Jesus LOVES you just the way you are.
After consistently learning and striving to love myself, I can confidently say that I no longer suffer from low self - esteem. I have accepted my worth and beauty by embracing myself. My goal in life is to help someone learn to love and embrace their essence.
Now that you know my story, here is how you can take the Self - Love Challenge.
First you will need to create a Mirror of Encouragement.
To create your own Mirror of Encouragement you will need these things.
An open mind and receptive heart
Four Post Its or sticky notes
A pen or marker
A mirror
Words
Step 1
Place sticky notes on your mirror, you can use all four or just two to start out. The notes will serve as your daily reminders and tools or self- encouragement.
Step 2
Once you have placed your stickies on your mirror, you then write terms of encouragement. Terms can be anything from “You are a Rockstar” to “Good morning Beautiful”. By choosing your own term or phrase, you actively boost yourself self - esteem.
Step 3
Say the phrases in the mirror every morning and night .By activating the words, you set in motion the process of self - love.
Step 4
Believe in the words. Remember the power of self - affirmation is key to self love.
At the end of the week, I will post again telling you guys all about my week of Self - Love. Feel free to share the challenge, your thoughts and reaction to the challenge in the comments below. You can also send your thoughts and comments to curvyessence2468@gmail.com.
I hope that this challenge ignites or inspires someone to believe in themselves and love who they are because they are valued and worthy of love.
Embrace your Essence!
Love ,
Brittany
