Hannah lovin’ Hannah
Tough times call for tough self love. And as I practice choosing self love, I am learning the importance of it in being a better lover of others. I’m grateful that this is something that I can learn and practice with my words, actions and ultimately thoughts and feelings. To perfect my self lovin’ art and further my goal to be the best lover of Hannah I can be, I leave you with my own ideas of some good ole Hannah lovin’ Hannah self lovin’.
It’s taking some time to admire myself
Date myself if you will
Write myself some love letters
Letters about
How strong
Smart
Savy
Beautiful
That I have become
But somehow always was
and always will be
It’s rubbing lotion all over my body
And Vaseline all over my face
After washing away the dirt and struggle of the day
It’s staying in bed until I please
And not answering the phone if I don’t feel like it
It’s taking my time to respond to messages if I’m not ready
And not feeling apologetic about it for once
It is saying no if I need to
And saying yes if I want to
It is stubbornly, without hesitation choosing love for myself everyday in every way
It’s locking the door maybe
And drinking a little extra water
It’s cutting a watermelon in half
And eating the whole half by myself with a spoon
While watching a movie if I want
Or reading a book
In my bed
Probably naked
It’s using only the sweetest words with myself
Words that make my ears water
and giving myself my own Hannah butterflies
Butterflies that I will spend time admiring too
as a beautiful part of the beautiful me
It’s taking pictures of myself
and saying “DANG I look good.”
As if its a surprise
It’s dancing
Dancing
Dancing
And loving my own dance
Loving the movement that my body can make
Loving it before anyone else’s dance or movement
Because it’s mine
It’s smiling at the fact that I am the only mine that I have
I am the only me
And that makes me worth all this self love
It’s telling me over and over again that I am worthy
Even if my heart is having a stubborn moment and can’t believe it
Telling me that I am holy by my own
(Thanks, Jamila Woods)
It’s twirling around
And singing love songs to myself
And admiring my voice
Cuz she’s a part of this beautiful me too
It’s lighting a candle
Or some insense
and reminding myself of the value
that seeps from my pores
whether I am at my best or worst
and especially at my worst
It’s literally saying it out loud
In the mirror if I have to
it’s running my fingertips over my stretch marks
“you are beautiful”
it’s touching my scars
“you are beautiful”
It’s spending extra time and energy telling the parts the world might not love of me
Pouring extra love into them through my beautiful fingertips
“you are so so beautiful”
my chipped tooth
my frizz
my fat
the whole of me
“you are beautiful”
“you are beautiful”
“you are so so beautiful”
“You are a beautiful part of this beautiful me”
It’s not stopping until I know this
with every ounce of my body
Until I am living it
with my words and actions towards others
Not stopping until I am
A walking, breathing, dancing example of a woman
unequivocally in love with herself
It’s reliving my stories
When I want to
And taking a break from them
When I need to
But it’s always choosing myself
Every story
As part of me
But not me
It’s knowing the difference
It’s choosing me
Choosing me
Choosing me
Because I am ultimately who I spend most of my time with
And if I can’t love myself
How the hell am I gonna love somebody else
(Thanks, Rupaul)
Good ole wholesome Hannah self love is Hannah choosing Hannah over and over again
Choosing love for me
because ultimately that’s the only way I will be able to choose love for others
And isn’t that my goal?
How do you self love? How do you practice this art?