SELF LOVE || Love The Real You

In a society largely influenced by social media, our 'normal' daily lives are held in constant comparison to the highlight reels of others. From our next door neighbours to A-grade celebrities, it is not uncommon to measure our own happiness & fulfilment against the seemingly more luxurious lives & successes of others. Whether it be another person's weight, salary, possessions, lifestyle or physical appearance -  there wouldn't be many of us that haven't fallen victim to envy or jealousy of people we perceive to be superior to ourselves.  

In many ways, social media perpetuates this issue, in a way that often leads us to feel as though we are as less fortunate and in turn lose sight of what we do have. I believe it is so important (particularly for younger generations who are vulnerable to the influence of what's on the internet) to remember what is realistic, what is achievable, what has a positive affect on our health & development and at the end of the day - what really matters. 

I came across some words by Scarlett Johansson, which focuses in particular on self love. I have included this quote at the conclusion of this post, as I believe it is a vital message that is too often overlooked in today's society. 

As a personal trainer, i feel I have a responsibility to continue to educate people not only to keep fit & healthy, but more importantly in my opinion - to do it for the right reasons.

Exercise because you love your body and you are blessed to be able to move it. 

Eat healthy foods so that you can feel great from the inside out. And so that your body can efficiently fight off disease. 

Get enough sleep so that you are mentally alert and capable to continue to grow & face challenges. 

Focus on the positives in your life and things that you are grateful for. 

Cherish your family, your friends and the things in your life that make you happy to be here. 

And finally - LOVE YOURSELF, without comparing yourself to others.

You are more than enough and you are more than capable of achieving whatever it is that you desire.

Mel

xo

" Behind the glamour, behind the make-up, behind all those flashy clothes, there's an ordinary girl who just happens to have an extraordinary job. I have seen young girls follow celebrities and try to be one of them. They try to attain perfection, have the perfect body, perfect skin tone. They aren't fully aware of the fact that behind the looks there are a lot of designers, make up artists and Photoshop/video editing. Their whole sense of beauty is flawed. There is no good to looking good if you are concious all the time about how you look. You should be care free. Love the real you the way you are, so that even if you are without make-up, you can look into the mirror and with a big smile and embrace your imperfections. Just imagine if you don't even love yourself, how do you expect anyone to love you. So first and foremost learn to love yourself by being who you are and not who the world wants you to be. All you need to do is have a great heart and be compassionate towards others. I hope you spread the message and let the world know that you value your inner beauty more than outer appearance" - Scarlett Johansson.