The idea that we’re all our own worst critics is nothing new but it’s up to you to learn your own worth and to treat yourself with the respect you afford everyone else. The amazing thing is, once you finally stop selling yourself short and start giving yourself a little more credit, these things are bound to happen:
- You realize you’re kind of a badass. Maybe an ex-boyfriend played you or maybe a manipulative friend made you her own personal punching bag. Whatever happened, your self-esteem was basically non-existent… until now. When you finally realize your self-worth, you also realize your amazing qualities and start to feel like the badass you are.
- You Stop Sweating the small stuff. Confidence plays a role in how you see and feel about yourself. When you’re not comfortable in your own skin, you stress out about everything—your hair, your weight, your skin, your job, etc. Being confident means you aren’t bothered by that stuff as much. You know you’re exactly where you should be in life right now.
- You don’t let people walk all over you. You finally realize that your opinions are important—just as important as anyone else’s, in fact, which means you’re comfortable discussing them and defending them when someone questions you. You don’t sit back and let people walk over you. You stand up, you get vocal, and you make sure you’re heard.
- You Start Taking Control Of Your Own Happiness. You might not know exactly who you are or what you want to do for the rest of your life but you’re okay with that. The unknown doesn’t scare you anymore. In fact, you embrace it. Instead of waiting for life to happen, you start to make it happen. You begin to make connections, explore your passions, and pave the way for your own future.
- You don’t change who you are for anyone. You used to change yourself a lot to fit in. Every boyfriend brought out a new you and every friend group caused you to exchange your values for whatever the majority believed. Now, you finally realize that if someone’s going to like you or love you, it needs to be because they truly know you and not who you pretend to be.
- You Start Accepting The Love You Deserve. Not knowing your self-worth meant accepting any and every kind of love that presented itself. You dealt with boyfriends who treated you like complete crap and you took it because you thought you deserved it. Now that you know you don’t, you’ve started to attract an entirely different type of men—ones that aren’t afraid of a confident woman.
- You Leave The Negativity Behind. When you realize your self-worth, you also realize how much of an impact negative people have on the way you feel about yourself. You no longer want to be around people who make you question your value and what you deserve. You only want to spend time with friends who fully love and cherish you.
- You Aren’t Afraid To Leave A Crappy Situation. If a situation or person isn’t making you feel appreciated or valued, you aren’t afraid to say something. And if they don’t listen or are unable to work it out, you have no problem leaving. You know your time is precious and you’d rather be somewhere that makes you feel like the best version of yourself than staying somewhere that doesn’t.
- You’re No Longer Afraid To Be Alone. You never used to be able to spend time alone. Your thoughts scared you because they were filled with negativity, but now you can spend time alone without feeling bad about who you are. That doesn’t mean you don’t enjoy going out—you just know the importance of being alone and focusing on doing things for yourself that make you happy.
- You Start Trusting Your Gut. You no longer second guess every decision you make. You no longer have to talk EVERYTHING out with three or four friends before you decide to do it. You trust yourself and your ability to make a decision that will benefit you. And if it doesn’t, then at least you’ve learned something for next time.
- You Aren’t Bothered By Criticism. Before, you couldn’t handle being criticized, even if it was “constructive.” Your confidence was low and any tiny critique felt like a personal attack. Eventually, however, you realized that not everything is meant to be personal and that sometimes, critiques are meant to help you improve and become a better person.
- You No Longer Apologize For Everything. You used to apologize for everything, even when it wasn’t your fault. You don’t do that anymore. That doesn’t mean you’re incapable of saying you’re sorry—you are, but you only say it when it’s necessary. If someone accidentally shoves you while they’re walking, you don’t apologize. Why? Because you weren’t to blame, they were.
- You validate yourself—you don’t need other people’s approval. You don’t look for others to make yourself feel good. You know your strengths and you know you’re lovable. You don’t mind getting compliments (who would?) but you don’t need them to get through the day. The only kind of validation you need comes from within.
