Secrets to loving who you are!

As a Black woman in the 21st century, it can be hard to love yourself due to the stigmas, stereotypes, and expectations that come with the color of our skin. This is an unfortunate reality of being a woman of color for so many of us through many decades. As an Educator, it saddens my heart to see my kids (yes I call them my kids because I love them) seeking validation from social media, boys/girls, and peers. Social media has played a huge role in self-esteem and self-confidence these days so here are some secrets to help you know your worth and love who you are! Here we go sis!

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• Understand God made you who you are with a purpose! (1 Peter 2:9)

God put these reminders in the Bible for a reason because before he made the world, he knew what our struggles would be. We were all made with a purpose on this earth and it should be fulfilled before our time on earth is done!

• Stop seeking validation from other people and LOVE you for you!

You should never want someone's elses clarification over your life, job, career, or even the person you're dating. The life you live is yours to live and no one elses. Stop seeking validation from other people on whether or not you're good enough and understand that God made you to be different from everyone else! Stop comparing yourself to others. You never know what someone else is going through! (Galation 6:4)

• Embrace your flaws and things you don't like!

We all want to be "perfect" or have the social media trends whether it's a nicer body or fancy clothes. In order to love who you are, you must be content with what you already have and embrace your flaws! We can't fix what we can't change, so you might as well embrace it and use it to bless others sis! Don't be afraid to be bold and confident!

• Pray about your concerns and talk to God!

Whenever I have a concern or a worry on my heart, I talk to God about my problems and always feel better afterwards. The world we live in is not the same as it used to be and we're being influenced more and more each day. Stay in daily conversation with God and he will always bring your worries to a hault. God loves when we talk to him sis! (Psalms 145:18)