Don't Apologize for Being You
I have always had a big laugh and a big smile. And both of those things became my worst enemy when I was bullied for having them. Now that I've matured and grown into my body, I realize that it's not a bad thing to have a big laugh or a big smile. In fact, it's what makes me, me. I shouldn't have to apologize for being me - and neither should you.
“After all, no matter what in life, you will always be around yourself. So love yourself and don’t apologize for being you.”
Self-confidence is not something that just comes naturally, and I wish I knew that as a kid. You have to work at and be committed to your self-confidence, and how much you pride yourself for who you are. For every person that treats you terribly because of your features or who you are, there is at least one person out there that will compliment you on those things. It all comes to the perception of the individual. And you can’t control what others think - only what you think. After all, no matter what in life, you will always be around yourself. So love yourself and don’t apologize for being you.
Honestly, I don’t think I truly started loving myself until I was about 19 or so. My then-boyfriend (who is now my husband) helped me see myself for who I truly am. He showed me that I shouldn’t waste my energy on hating myself for who I am. He loved me for my big smile and loud laugh. It made him laugh louder and smile bigger. So why was I wasting all of my time hating myself for the things that someone loves about me?
There are people in my life who always say sorry for what they do or say, or even how they act. For example, if this person were to snort while they laughed, they would apologize immediately in hopes that someone didn’t notice it. But there are people in this world that think it is so cute when someone snorts! You are your own worst critic. There is so much power hidden in your brain, and you have no idea the reach it has on your mental and emotional wellness.
If you compliment yourself on the things you hate about yourself, you might gradually start to appreciate these things. Don’t believe in that approach? Maybe take the journaling route, and try to dig deep and figure out why you hate these parts about yourself. Did someone tease you for the way you say a certain word, because of your accent? Or maybe how you do things in a certain order, such as putting your sock and shoe on your left foot before your right? These quirks are what make you…you!
Let me share a moment with you that happened recently, where I didn’t apologize for being myself.
Someone I know said something humorous, and I laughed my short, giddy laugh. He said to me “is that your real laugh?” and I told him “yes,” but he didn’t believe me. He said “that laugh just doesn’t sound genuine,” to which I said, “well that is just my laugh.”
I don’t feel bad for defending myself at all! I am actually proud of myself for realizing that I should not let other people tear me down and bring me back into the self-hatred loop. My laugh makes me recognizable in a room full of people, and I am completely okay with that.
I hope this blog post helped one person out there realize that they don’t need to waste their time hating themselves.
Self-love & confidence are crucial to living with yourself. If you don’t love yourself and appreciate you for who you are, who else will?
