Through all of the twists and turns, ups and downs, victories and defeats…you have arrived, here, at this very moment.

But what you tell yourself, about yourself, matters more than anything.

Your entire future depends on that story.⁠

Coming to a place of acceptance isn’t always the easiest of things.

There are situations and events that are often incredibly difficult to deal with and even harder to let go of. Resentment, more than anything, has a very seductive quality to it. While you get to be “right” about something and wage a moral crusade, it often has a serious side effect of the negative elements of the past sticking to you like molasses.⁠

It takes courage to arrive to a place of taking responsibility for what happens next in your life. It’s not to say others weren’t responsible for what they chose to do. They are. But to own the fact that this is your life and that you’re the only one that can decide how you are going to move forward is incredibly empowering.⁠

Self-love isn’t about epsom salt baths, wine and candles (although, hey, those are niceee). It goes far deeper than that…all the way down to the core of how you treat yourself.⁠

Do you speak to yourself with love and respect? Or do you rip yourself apart any chance you get? As I talked about yesterday, this story of negativity or positivity determines how your life looks and unfolds.⁠

When you can embrace who you are, flaws and all, and learn from your mistakes without destroying your own sense of worth…you engage in the greatest act of self-love there is. You are refusing to let the darker seeds to plant themselves in your mind, heart and soul and are instead cultivating light.⁠

It’s the purest act of defiance in a world that’s constantly telling you that you aren’t good enough. Continue to stand up for yourself. Watch the conversation that’s going on in your head. Uproot any weeds that have taken up lodging and sit in your wisdom.⁠

This is the path of learning to love who you are.

Evan Sanders
The Better Man Project