This is something we all struggle with; something that can serve as a major factor in relationships. This something is self-love. Time and time again, we hear that we should love ourselves for who we are, for all that we are. However, some people have a harder time accepting their flaws than others. We are all different but, at the same time, we deal with similar issues, and self-love is one of these issues.

People say that, in order to love someone else, you have to learn to love yourself first. There is no better way to explain this concept. It is universal, especially when you consider the fact that, if you can’t love yourself, how do you expect anyone to love someone to love you that has trouble admiring your own qualities? People tend to bash things about themselves, things they find different from others. In reality, instead of criticizing these differences, we should learn to embrace them. Everyone has an individual trait that separates them from everyone else, and some people perceive these features as flaws simply because they appear uncommon. Little do some know, but these distinctions actually promote their beauty. It’s important that people learn to accept themselves because it serves as the first step to happiness.

To understand this image better imagine a couple that claimed to be in love with one another yet the girlfriend was dealing with self-image issues and did not share it with her “lover” because she was too embarrassed by them to confide in him. It’s hard for others to see the good in people if they have trouble finding it themselves. For starters, people fail to realize that their opinion of themselves resonates with others. The girlfriend cannot possibly love her significant other if she has problems loving herself; she cannot be familiar with the feeling if it’s foreign to her.

Self-love is more than just being okay with how you look; it’s learning to love every difference that sets you apart from everyone else. Every freckle on your face, every strand of hair on your head, every birthmark on your body. Once you embrace these characteristics, the world is your oyster.

Society today tries to define what beauty is, which causes women to believe that to be attractive they should have “curves,” “long hair,” and “average height.” If the community continues to force women to meet these standards, they must live up to them. How can a woman truly learn to love herself if she’s trying to chase after this ideal image? She cannot, which is why it is evident that people need to start focusing on the importance of individuality rather than these sophomoric criteria.