I Am Learning to Love Myself Through It

Self-love isn’t about perfection — it’s about presence.

There was a time I thought I had to wait.

Wait until I healed more.
Wait until I felt better.
Wait until I didn’t mess up, fall short, or feel broken.

Only then could I offer myself kindness.
Only then did I think I was worthy of love.

But I see it differently now.

I’m learning to love myself through it — not just after it.

Through the doubts.
Through the messy bits.
Through the parts I’m still working on.

Self-love doesn’t mean always liking what I see.
It means I stay with myself even when I don’t.
It means I offer grace where I used to give guilt.
It means I treat myself like someone I care about — especially when I’m hurting.

I don’t need to be perfect to be worthy of love.

I never did.

So I show up now — with gentleness.

Because healing doesn’t require harshness.

It requires holding.