date yourself ‘til you burst into self-love:
·go to a café on your own. be kind to the people working there. one day they’ll know your name and what you want to drink from memory.
·if nobody buys you flowers, go to the nearest florist and get some lovely plants. give them names that make you happy when you say them aloud. take care of them.
·make comfort songs playlists. make upbeat tunes playlists too. even sad music playlists sometimes. get to know yourself ‘til you know exactly what music you need to listen to exactly at any time of your life.
·keep so many different journals, one day you’ll have plenty of them to browse through. poetry journals. art journals. personal journals. class journals. inspo journals. happy things journals. reasons to stay alive journals. there’s no end to this.
·cook yourself some yummy breakfasts. wake up early in the morning and take your time to make sure everything is delicious. enjoy the eating, eating keeps you nurtured. eating keeps you alive. you deserve to enjoy being alive.
·put on scented body lotion. apply it to your naked body. get to know your skin, your tummy, your thighs, your body hair, your chest, your shoulders. hug yourself and smell your own skin and realize it’s the most lasting home you’ll ever have.
·it’s a cliché, but treat others the way you’d like others to treat you. be assertive but still kind. being assertive won’t keep you from being kind, nor vice versa. know what you deserve and don’t stay for nothing less; always try to comfort others when they’re struggling. compliment people on the things they do, wear or even are; do not be afraid to fight when it is necessary, when you ought to defend yourself from mean people and words. assertive and kind. kind and assertive.
·try and wear those clothes you’re so afraid of wearing. you’ll rock the crop tops, the long dresses, the high-waisted shorts, the suits, the no makeup look too, the modest clothes too. if anyone is mean to you because of your clothes, find the comfort in knowing at least you were honest to yourself and dressed the way you felt.
·befriend people. understand that friendships are as important in life as romantic relationships can be. do not undermine your friends in favour of your dream partners. write love letters to your friends. hold hands with them. get them small, but meaningful gifts (or even better, make them yourself). tell them how much you love them. call them on the phone when they’re away.
·dating life can be fun, and romantic love is so, so fulfilling. but it is not a must-have in your life. you are enough by yourself. we all rely on co-dependency, but that does not make us less. we are whole already, even before someone falls in love with us. even if nobody falls in love with us. do not go begging for romantic love. love is everywhere. you are love. you are loved even if you’re single.
·and i could go on and on and on. love yourself. try it, at least.
