There will always be people who praise you and those who criticize. When you hear different opinions about yourself, you tend to divide your character into “positive” and “negative” traits. It always happens this way. Don’t waste your time struggling against it, proving anything. It doesn’t make any sense anyway.

All you can do is accept the two different ways of perception of you by others. Because that is exactly how it is with everyone! We all have both “light” and “dark” sides. This way of evaluation is quite conventional, of course. Everything in this world possesses its “dark” and “light” sides, these two are inseparable. The most evident examples are day and night, summer and winter, the sun and the moon, warm and cold, and so on. What would our life be without them? They exist as parts of our wonderful world. We shouldn’t divide these pairs because we won’t be able to appreciate the benefits of daylight without the darkness of the night. It’s clear, isn’t it?

You can spend your whole life struggling with yourself. But it’s so much easier to accept the way you are instead.

These “dark” and “light” sides of your character make you so special. It’s so important to discover the talents you were born with!

How much do you really love yourself? Loving yourself has nothing to do with narcissism or arrogance. Considering yourself superior is egotism, not love. These are totally different notions.

Loving yourself starts with the notion of your existence, here and now, in this very moment. I love myself just for the fact that I exist, I’m here, not for possessing something others lack. Those who despise others considering them undeserving of love just because they lack something, show themselves weak, dependent and diffident.

Only accepting yourself with all your “flaws” you learn the most important lesson in life: you’re flawless, you’re unique. Loving oneself means realizing we are all one. We’re all here both to learn and to teach. Those who are capable of loving themselves can’t hurt or humiliate others. Hurting someone harms you more. The universe is indivisible and endless. You’re a part of it.

Don’t take in the whole world as a threat or a constant struggle, or endless competition. You are the best version of yourself no matter what anyone else thinks! The sooner you learn and accept it, the faster paper airplanes, with your dreams written on them, will fly into space!

You don’t have to prove you deserve my love. My love for you is endless! You don’t have to make any choices just to make me happy. I’ll always support you. I don’t expect you to become better! I love you unconditionally. And I do wish for you to be the person you are, to feel true love for yourself and follow your own path. Let your heart and your destiny choose this path for you. You are the inception!

 
Your beauty meets no rivals in this world
As all true beauty of this world YOU hold!
Your soul, reflecting everyone you’ve known,
Just like a quilt of parts of us is sewn.
And all this beauty: fields of rye,
The woods, the rivers and the sky
Are parts of you and that’s the reason why
They catch your eye.
Are weariness and anguish all you see?
Or do you feast your eyes upon the skies?
Each drop of rain reflects your pretty face,
And love is all around and inside us!
 

Julia Belova

(Translated by Anna Zabrodina)

And there’s love for yourself inside of you. It’s a priority. You came here with this love and you pass away with it, all the same. It’s the part of you that loves you, no matter what.

Listen to your heart if you doubt my words. Your heart never lies!

There’s still more of the picturesque Provence with its lavender fields to see. We’re about to visit a gorgeous castle garlanded with orchards.

Local architecture is inspiring in its beauty and elegance. The twisted paths lead to gigantic Cedars of Lebanon. The castle walls keep memories and numerous stories of local potentates and townsfolk. Centuries-old trees, as if wrapping us up in their embrace and whispering, suggesting we pause and reflect upon ourselves as parts of something meaningful.

Some folks still remember legends about this place. There’s one I especially adore.

Once upon a time, a very wealthy Marquis lived here. He had two daughters. The elder daughter was a stunning beauty with golden curls and graceful figure. Her younger sister was nothing like her: she possessed neither looks nor grace. The Marquis was so proud of his elder daughter, but he kept the younger one to the shadows.

One day, the Marquis was visited by two young heirs of mighty sovereigns. One of them greeted the Marquis, announcing, “Good day! I come looking for a bride.”

“Well, that’s delightful! What are you waiting for? Come on in!” invited the Marquis.

“Thank you for your hospitality,” replied the men. They admired the beauty of the magnificent interior of the castle as they entered the hall.

“Let me introduce you to my elder daughter,” the Marquis said.

“Oh, no,” one of the young men suddenly objected. “Will you be so kind to introduce us to your younger daughter instead? I have heard a lot of flattering words about the beauty of your elder daughter. And nothing of the younger! I’d like to meet her.”

The Marquis gave the youngsters an astonished look, exclaiming, “What a surprise!”

“I offer you a bounty of one million diamonds for her,” proclaimed the noble heir.

“What in the world? You offer me one million diamonds for my YOUNGER daughter. But I’d be happy to give you my elder daughter for this generous offer! Would you like to reconsider?” the Marquis’s confusion was evident, but he couldn’t help it.

“I ask for the hand of your younger daughter. Please, introduce me to her!” insisted the young man.

A very modest and unattractive girl entered the hall, looking frightened.

“Will you marry me?” proposed the youngster.

“Yes, I will,” whispered the girl, bewildered.

The Marquis received the diamonds. The groom and the bride left immediately. The groom’s friend disapproved of such a choice. Taking an unattractive and taciturn girl for a wife didn’t make sense to him. But the groom didn’t utter a word in defense, he was guided by his heart.

Five years passed, and the friend called upon the couple, uninvited. Approaching their house, he noticed a beautiful girl, her endless chestnut brown hair fell graciously on her shoulders. Her lovely smile seemed the most delightful of all things in the world. He stopped.

“Who are you, beautiful stranger?” he asked, amazed.

“Don’t you recognize me?” she gave him one of her loveliest smiles.

“I’m sorry, I really don’t…”

“I’m your best friend’s wife, we’ve met before.”

“How’s that possible?” he stared in disbelief. “You seemed plain to me when I first met you,” he said, embarrassed.

“I don’t blame you. The day when you and my husband arrived at my father’s castle, I finally realized that I was worth a million diamonds. I’m really one of a kind. And there’s no one prettier than me. I’m unique.”

Doesn’t it seem strange to you that so many people in the world are unsatisfied with their looks? They always criticize themselves. Some are obsessed with food, others are poisoning themselves with cigarettes, drugs, alcohol. There are those who undergo painful and dangerous plastic surgeries. All this only testifies lack of love for oneself. People don’t accept themselves. Don’t you ever let your fears and doubts take over you, my love!

There’s always genius within each of us.

Treat yourself to something extra special every now and then. Make yourself happy. Enjoy life. Be grateful for every single day, you every little success.

It’s as easy as that.

Always say, “I did so well today,” (and mention all that you’ve done during the day), or praise yourself, saying things like, “I’m a wonderful person,” or, “I love myself more and more every day,” or, “The world around me is safe and beautiful,” or, “My life is full of love and happiness.”

Choose one day of the week when you do everything that makes you feel the most wonderful and successful person. Spend it just as you wish! Feel the love! Feel absolutely happy! Take a walk in a park, for instance, or watch your favorite movie. It doesn’t matter exactly what you do, but it has to be a day totally devoted to yourself. Make a point of telling yourself how awesome and special you are. Wake up with a feeling that you are loved. Open your eyes and say to yourself, “I love you! You are the best.” Memorize this feeling of love.

Now, say these simple phrases to yourself and repeat daily:

I’m special.

I love myself.

I’m beautiful.

I’m wonderful.

I’m perfect.

I have got all it takes to achieve my goals.

I possess the power of love and kindness.

I’m talented.

I appreciate myself.

I’m gifted.

I’m a genius.

I live right here and now.

I’m the best version of myself, no matter what anyone says.

I let myself be the person I am.

Our bodies are like temples of inner strength. It’s extremely important to keep them healthy. And LOVING YOUR BODY is key!

I ask you to treat your body with love:

1. Follow a comfortable waking and sleeping schedule.

2. Love your own body.

3. Take good care of it. It is your source of pleasure and happiness.

4. Develop the following good habits:

– spend time outdoors just breathing fresh air, enjoying the beauty of nature;

– love yourself and others sincerely, don’t criticize or judge anyone;

– don’t evaluate everything that happens around you, just watch;

– do physical exercise, it’s good for you, especially swimming;

– drink enough pure water;

– eat healthy food;

– set goals for the upcoming week, month, year, and, most importantly, your whole life;

– take care of the environment around you;

– keep a diary;

– smile and laugh as often as you can;

– always say “yes” to yourself!

5. Remember that your body is a gift that is going to serve you all your long and happy life.

It was a long journey, and it’s getting dark now. Lavender fields deserve to be announced the Eighth Wonder of The World, seeing them at least once in your life is a must! The colors are changing from purple to dark pink in the rays of setting sun. I suppose, you’re hungry! We’ll stop by a cozy nice place for dinner in the nearby village. Banon cheese, fresh bread and the delicious ratatouille will make a splendid dinner.

As we wait for our food, let me say a few words about it. Please, always try to choose healthy food, avoid excessive sugar, preservatives, artificial flavors. They harm your body. Curiously enough, we’re trapped by our own poor food habits as we love to eat junk food.

I am an accountant by profession. It means I know a lot about commerce. Business doesn’t necessarily care about the benefit of mankind, trust me, honey. A huge profit comes from selling us junk food. Should I still buy you a soda or the snacks you ask for, even if I know they’re bad for you? Should I thus harm the person I love? Does it make sense to you?

So don’t be trapped by your poor food habits and impulses. Don’t help those who earn money selling junk food. Please, make sure to eat more fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Take care of yourself, because nobody can do it better than you! Read all the nutrition facts carefully while grocery shopping, your meals are your own responsibility! You’re old enough to manage this and take care of your health!

Tell yourself now and repeat every day:

I’m absolutely healthy.

My body makes me happy.

I eat healthy food.

I take care of my health and it makes me feel good.

I love my body and the way I look.

I love the way I am.

My body is perfect.

My body is my best friend.

Every cell of my body is healthy.

I love the person I am and encourage myself in every way I can.

Your body is your best friend for life, no doubt. Accept the way you are and the way you look. Every cell of your body belongs to you, it is all yours! You had chosen this body before you were born, respect this choice. Your self-confidence is your way to success!

One day you’ll see that you’re the best, and you don’t have to impress anyone else. You don’t have to be liked by everyone, but you do have to be loved by yourself here and now, this very moment, with all your weaknesses and merits, all your ups and downs. You’ve got all you need because you’ve got yourself! And yes, you ARE the best.

Never complain about lack of time -you’ve got plenty of it! It’s a matter of setting your priorities. Always make time to praise, learn and accept yourself.

Love starts with you. Don’t associate yourself with just a body, you’re more than just flesh and bones. You are the creator. You create your own life and your reality every single day. Only you have the power to do it.

Only you know how special you are, mind that. You possess enormous potential you might have never felt before. Loving yourself is a sort of a miracle. Let this miracle happen to you first. Accept yourself as part of this love, and let it fill your soul. You’re in front of a door to your genius and talents. And love is the key!

Make this first step. I’d like to help you, if you let me. Don’t stop loving yourself, no matter what. Always praise yourself. Don’t criticize, humiliate, curse, judge and mistreat yourself. Every new day brings opportunities to love and accept yourself more. Think of the world you live in only as of a world of happiness and joy. That’s a way to your destiny!

Don’t let anyone influence your self-esteem. Encourage yourself despite what people say. You’re never alone because you’ve got YOURSELF and a great world inside you. You possess virtue and vice just like everyone else! So it’s no use considering what people say about you since no one is flawless.

Your sense of humor is a powerful weapon against all critics. Jokes and laughter help getting rid of any insult. It’s good for your health, too. Learn to keep your spirits high, to smile even when someone makes jokes about you. Because you are so much more than just a body.

Love yourself despite all your flaws! We all make mistakes. It’s the way we learn. Learning requires a lot of time and attention. Don’t judge yourself if you fail as it’s part of your life experience. Life is impossible without failures and mistakes.

This wonderful day is over. The next amazing location and new exciting discoveries await us tomorrow. Exploring the world we discover ourselves.

The first step towards your dreams is LOVE FOR YOURSELF!

Love is the energy that cures!

Love is the most precious thing in life!

YOU are love in itself!

It’s OK if you stumble and fall making your first step. Get up, shake the dust off your knees, think what you could have done differently and try again. Keep trying until you succeed.

A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step!