We live in a world where we are coAll About Loving Yourselfnstantly being peer pressured: pressured to be a specific size, to wear a specific brand, to do our makeup a specific way, to dye our hair a certain color, and the list goes on.

With social media being present in our lives on a daily basis, we make a point to portray ourselves a certain way. We want to be our very best when the world is watching, we want people to look at our social media and love us.

However, when the screen goes black, it’s important that you still love the person on the other side of it.

Often times, we need to learn to love ourselves. We are often taught to put our love into our spouses, our children, our friends, our loved ones. Although all of that love is important, you have to love yourself first so you can be your best self for the people that deserve it.

You’re deserving of all the love and care you’re so willing to give out, and sometimes, you have to give it to yourself.

Loving yourself means accepting your own flaws, and seeing them instead, as characteristics.  Loving yourself is about looking in the mirror and not wanting to change what you see, but embracing it instead. It can be hard to shut off the part of yourself that criticizes the rest of you. We have to learn to shut that person out.

Sophia Bush, famous actress and self-love advocate once wrote on her Instagram, “You are allowed to be both a masterpiece and a work in progress, simultaneously.”

We couldn’t agree with Sophia more. You are allowed to be bettering yourself on a daily basis, and still be in love with the person that you are. You are allowed to have insecurities but still feel good about when you get dressed in the morning. You are allowed to fight with yourself, as long as love wins.

An important part of loving yourself is committing time and effort into doing things that make you happy and allow yourself time to focus in on things that bring you happiness.

We all get so busy with our careers, our families, our friends, our obligations, and so forth, it’s easy to let our “me time” fall to the bottom of our “to-do” list.

However, it’s vital that you set aside time do indulge yourself in the things that make you happy. Turn off your phone for an hour, pour yourself a glass of wine, indulge yourself in a piece of literature, or commit yourself to a workout. Give yourself time to do something you love to do.

You should love yourself enough to give yourself enough time in a day to make yourself a priority, even if it’s something as simple as having a bite of dark chocolate after lunch.

If you’re looking for some “me time” that will leave you loving yourself, consider scheduling a shoot with The Pouting Room.

The Pouting Room