Why do I believe it’s important for youth to #LoveMySelfie this Valentine’s Day?
After a difficult few years - my parent’s divorce, a grandparent’s death, and being bullied in school, I know what happened to me. I felt worthless, unneeded and useless. I did not love or believe in me.
But, thanks to my involvement in 4-H, I was put into contact with people who did believe in me and love me. After years of growth, and work, I now believe in me, and love me.
That’s why this February I want to share what I have learned and why I am encouraging other youth to share their selfies on social media along with a few lines about what they love about themselves. I’m calling it #LoveMySelfie.
1. It’s time to switch it up.
Every Valentine’s Day, and throughout most of February, my news feed is flooded with pictures of people and their significant others, professing love to each other. But, it’s just as important to profess love for yourself! It’s your unique qualities, attitude and approach to life that may you, YOU. Let’s take a break from professing love for others and let people know that you are proud of who you are.
2. You can be a positive voice in a world with lots of negativity.
There’s so much negative talk that takes place on social media. Sharing your #LoveMySelfie is a chance to change up the conversation and focus on positive things you love about yourself and get your friends and family to do it as well.
3. It’s an opportunity to encourage others to love themselves.
It’s not always easy to tell if someone is struggling with their self-esteem and not feeling loved or needed. Letting your friends see that you are confident and feel self-love can encourage others to follow your lead and start to think about all the great things they love about themselves rather than focusing on the negative.
4. It's key to take the time to reflect.
In our busy lives, it’s important to take some time to think about the unique qualities that you like about yourself and what they mean to you. Anyone can say, “I love myself.” But, it takes real reflection to understand what that means and how it affects our everyday lives. I grew up with a speech impediment and even after years of speech therapy, it took several more years and a 4-H event where I spoke to a group of 800 people to make me finally realize that I had overcome my speech challenge. That moment of reflection and the change it brought to my self-esteem has forever made a positive impact on my life.
I can’t wait to see all the photos of you professing love for yourself this February! Take a moment to snap a simple selfie or even a photo of you doing something that you love. Just remember to use the hashtag #LoveMySelfie and to follow along with the conversation.
