Dear Self,
LOVE YOURSELF… FIERCELY!
This topic gets me really emotional and has been the centre of most of my bad decisions, narrow perspective and wrong moves growing up.
For some reason I thought outside validation meant easy self-acceptance.
That if society approves of you then you, my sister are on the right track to loving yourself the right way. I was wrong!
Slow Down…Just A Bit?
There were some tough moments in high school and university – not only was I fighting for my grades but there is a whole battle within where I was at war to keep my mental health afloat.
I vividly remember comparing myself to my peers, trying to be friends with people that I thought were “better” than me and being too anxious when entering class with the fear that everyone is thinking
“She’s not that pretty. Or she’s too dark. Or what is she wearing – my God!”
When talking to new people, I always wondered what they thought when they looked at me. My self esteem was not at the level I wanted it to be and neither was my confidence.
The Silent Movement… #LettersToOurYoungerSelves
I just know.
If I was more confident and accepting of myself – flaws, strengths, weaknesses and all, I would have been more of a go-getter with my dreams and goals from high school through university. I put off pursuing things I was really good at for the fear that society may see right through it all and conclude that “she has no clue what she is doing” or “she is not that good.”
If I was more loving and compassionate towards myself and what God made when he made me, I would have been happier growing up and quick to kick to the curb any negative comment that was thrown my way. But unfortunately most of them stuck. And it’s funny how people who are out to put you down target the parts of you that you are the most insecure about.
THE EPIPHANY.
I am as imperfect, flawed and human as they come.
I don’t have my life figured out and I am still learning – consciously how to love this beautiful dark girl that I see in the mirror daily.
I am learning to celebrate her – every day single day. We all deserve to be here.
The mere fact that we exist is proof that God is not finished with us yet.
So finally,
Dearest self,
You are beautiful.
You are drop-dead gorgeous.
You are bright, intelligent, super talented, bursting with energy, funny and loving.
You don’t need society to tell you or your friends to constantly remind you for you to actually know it.
Go out and be you! Do you! Not for anyone, but for you.
You have so many goals and dreams to accomplish.
Don’t let the world not know that you too came this way.
Leave your footprint.
I need you to love yourself… FIERCELY!
With love,
Bridget.
There are friends I made in high school that left a positive impact… Bridget is one of those! A lot of you may not know this but back when I was younger, when I used to write full length novels, I always compared my work with the work of established authors. And I hated it. But Bridget (who wrote THE best romance novels) always read everything that I wrote. She made sure I added a page everyday. She made me believe in my stories! I’m grateful for her courage and strength; giving us such empowering insight into her life and her personal struggles.
What powerful words! As someone who has struggled with self worth this letter is packed with so much wisdom and truth bombs that I will pin to my wall to remind myself everyday that;
“…We all deserve to be here. The mere fact that we exist is proof that God is not finished with us yet.” Wow! Thank You Bridget.
(P.S she’s makes insanely good cakes♥️♥️and you should all read her stories! )
Keep hanging onto hope,
Naks.
To Our Moms(…a collection of short stories…)
To experience true success; You must learn to unlearn.
