The Power of Self-Love: Stepping Into the Picture (Kickoff to the Self-Love Series)

Why Self-Love Matters More Than You Think

I used to treat cameras like enemies. Anytime someone raised one, I’d duck, shift, or make an excuse—anything to stay out of the frame.

When people talk about self-love, it often sounds like a feel-good trend—something you practice with bubble baths and affirmations. But self-love isn’t just about treating yourself well; it’s about how you see yourself, the story you tell yourself, and the choices you make because of it.

Research shows that self-love influences everything—our mental health, relationships, habits, and even our ability to reach our goals. Yet so many of us struggle with it. We think self-love is something we have to earn—that we’ll feel better about ourselves once we lose the weight, once we accomplish more, once we become the person we think we should be.

I know this struggle firsthand.

The Moment I Realized I Had Been Erasing Myself

The other day, I was searching through old photos, hoping to find missing baby pictures of my daughter. As I flipped through the albums, something stood out—there were almost no pictures of me with my family.

I knew why. It wasn’t an accident. I had deliberately kept myself out of the frame.

Ever since I gained weight from pregnancy, I avoided cameras like the plague. I told myself, Once I lose weight, then we can take family photos. I felt uncomfortable in my own skin, and seeing myself in pictures was painful. The image in my head—the “me” I expected to see—was the person I was before kids. But every time I caught my reflection, the disconnect was jarring. And honestly? I was cruel to myself.

I didn’t even realize how deep my self-criticism ran until I started paying attention. My inner dialogue was brutal. I would look at myself and think, You’re disgusting. No one else was saying that to me. I was doing it to myself.

A Shift in Perspective

Once I became aware of these toxic thoughts, I knew I had to change them. I started making small shifts—conscious, deliberate choices to be kinder to myself.

• I looked in the mirror more often, even when it was uncomfortable.

• I traded my oversized, shapeless clothes for outfits that actually fit and made me feel put together.

• I focused on one thing I liked about myself and made it my focal point—the first thing I noticed when I saw my reflection.

Extending the same grace to myself that I would to a friend (or even a stranger) was a challenge. Changing subconscious thoughts isn’t easy. But once you recognize them, ignoring them is even harder. And as I made these changes, something shifted.

The Moment I Realized I Had Changed

Looking at those old photos, I expected the usual cringe. But it never came. Instead of judgment, I saw memories. Instead of focusing on what I didn’t like, I noticed the joy, the love, and the little details I never let myself appreciate before.

And for the first time, I wished I had been in more pictures.

This realization hit me hard: I had been erasing myself from my own story.

If you’re reading this and you’ve been staying out of the picture—literally or figuratively—please, let this be your wake-up call. It is never too late or too early to start loving yourself. When you do, your entire life transforms.

This is Just the Beginning—Let’s Take This Journey Together

Self-love isn’t something you achieve overnight—it’s a journey of unlearning the harsh inner voice and rewriting the way you see yourself. It’s not about perfection or always feeling good; it’s about creating a relationship with yourself built on compassion, understanding, and acceptance.

And here’s the thing—self-love isn’t just feel-good advice. It’s backed by science, psychology, and real-life experiences—like mine, and maybe yours too.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll uncover why self-love is about more than confidence—it’s the foundation for everything else: relationships, success, and even your sense of purpose. We’ll dive deep into:

✔ How to silence your inner critic and shift negative self-talk.
✔ The connection between your body and mind—and why it matters.
✔ How setting boundaries is an act of self-respect.
✔ Why self-love isn’t just about confidence—it’s the foundation for self-actualization.

Your Next Step: Rethinking What Self-Love Really Means

📝 Take five minutes today to write down three things you love about yourself. If that feels hard, start with just one—big or small. Keep it somewhere you can revisit whenever you need a reminder of your worth.

💌 But here’s something no one tells you—many of us struggle with self-love because of the myths we’ve been taught about it. We think it means always feeling confident, following self-care routines, or waiting until we’re “better” to deserve it.

But what if those ideas were actually keeping us stuck?

In the next post, we’ll break down the biggest myths of self-love—and uncover what it really means to embrace yourself, guilt-free. Make sure you’re signed up for my newsletter so you don’t miss it! Sign up Here.

✨ You are the story you tell yourself about yourself. Let’s make it a good one.