Embrace and Celebrate Yourself! 

So I finally participated in #wcw on Instagram today, and named it women celebrating women. I hesitated and wrestled with this, but I chose myself. I’m at a place where I’ve learned to accept myself, flaws and all. I genuinely love who I am…now. 

I’ve struggled in the past with major insecurities. I cared tremendously about what others thought about me. Which led me to be an introvert. I really went years without having any friends. All the way up to my very last year of high school. I went through school as quiet as a mouse; went to my classes, did my work, and went straight home. I was afraid to speak to people. I didn’t always think I was pretty, I didn’t always like the things I had, and sometimes I just didn’t think people would like me. I didn’t always know what I was capable of bringing to the table.  But I’ve come a long way, and decided to share and celebrate me. 

I realized that my insecurities began to creep in as I wrestled with the idea of posting this morning. I was concerned with what people would think about me; I thought that some would perceive the post as being vain. I didn’t want the old perception of me to come back in the minds of those who would view it. So many people in the past would express how standoffish I was, or how I seemed to be conceited because of my quietness. So I was nervous. 

On the other hand, I thought about the people who may have struggled with the same thing I’ve struggled with. There may be someone who’s afraid to post things that they’ve overcome because of what someone else may think. 

This lead me to the scripture, we overcome by the words of our testimony. It’s important to speak on the things that we have come out of. The more we do, the further away we become from that particular struggle. When we speak on it, we confirm our accomplishments and are able to continue to move forward. If I didn’t post that picture because of the same insecurities I felt I’d overcome, I would’ve lost the battle once again. I would be right back in the same place I’ve been before. 

I’ve grown and fought to be in the place I am today. I refuse to revert back into it because I’ve allowed what someone may possibly say effect me. Not only am I doing this for me, but I’m doing this for the people who struggle with insecurities and loving themselves because of what someone else thinks. 

So I encourage you to embrace and celebrate you! It’s perfectly okay to share your growth. It’ll not only strengthen you, but it can possible strengthen someone else. Let’s stop allowing peoples’ thoughts and opinions to put us back in a box that we’ve walked out of. Be proud of how far you’ve come and don’t let anyone stop you from celebrating your progress!