A Force to Be Reckoned With

Nude selfie illustrated by Lizzie Suarez (@virtualscribble)

For me, there's no other love that's self-rewarding like self-love is. I don't need anyone else but myself for acceptance or affirmation. I am my own boss. My body has become a temple with which I hold my head high. I pride myself in living as long as I have.

Self-love is me taking a flash picture in the midst of a breakout, with no makeup and loving it because that's my face and it's beautiful. Self-love is me feeling bloated after a full lunch and posing in front of the mirror in my underwear because that’s how I look and that’s beautiful. Self-love is me getting on that scale and smiling even after noticing I’ve gained some weight when I was trying to lose some.

My self-love is unconditional; it's a force to be reckoned with. My love cannot be swayed and even if it is, I will learn to love myself again. My love is passionate and genuine; my love is a burst of laughter because I just can't contain the joy of being me for the rest of my life.

- Lizzie