Life is about learning about yourself, others, the world, everything and anything you can. You learn and, if you’re lucky, you teach others what you’ve learned along the way.
There are so many “standards” that we are taught by society which do no good. As a society we should act, look, and do things a certain way to gain more acceptance. Whether it’s having a particular body type, the music we like, the cars we drive, the jobs we have, the friends we spend our time with… it seems like there is always someone or thing trying to tell us how to do it right.
But this is life, and there is no “right” way. There is no better way. We are all different; if we were the same it wouldn’t be very interesting and there’d be nothing to learn or teach. It’s completely understandable why people get caught up in and distracted by living by someone else’s standards instead of being happy with oneself and enjoying life on their own terms.
All this makes it more difficult to love yourself – something I work on more than anything else. I have never took much notice or cared what others thought of me or my actions. I’ve always done what I believe is best for me. It’s how I ended up where I am, moving to another country for a man I love and finding my true home. I don’t regret any of those things.
There is something I do regret. Not loving myself more. Allowing society’s standards of happiness dictate my own. I’m slowly learning to take care and love myself more. My happiness is dictated by my own actions, no one else’s.
I’ll note that my intention when I started writing was not this topic at all, but something else completely! But I’ve realised that that other idea is a form of self-love and taking care of myself. So take this as a preface to the next one. 🙂