I am lucky enough to have really amazing 2 best friends and other friends I’m really close to. They mean the world to me. However, one thing I have learned, especially going through school and bad times myself, is that no matter how many BFFs and good friends you have, it’s always important to be your own best friend. That is one thing Demi talks about and I think it’s very important to emphasize here. I made the decision to move across the country for college (still one of the best choices I’ve made). That meant leaving my BFF (we’ve been best friends since elementary school) and my other close friends I’ve made throughout my life at that point behind. It meant I had to make new friends and meant I had to start over again (of making friends). In between all of that I had to learn to be my own best friend because there I was, on my own and a little nervous.
The friends I made at McDaniel were (and are still) amazing!! All my friends up through college have been there for me. I think being your own best friend goes hand in hand with taking care of yourself, which means to stop chasing people and things that are no longer good for you. So I’m sorry for cutting some people out (that is a gift for myself). Taking care of yourself means taking care of your physical and mental health.
I have to admit that I’ve had many rough patches and have days where I felt like I couldn’t do anything. In those moments I am grateful for my friends and family but I am also grateful for myself. Additionally, I am thankful for pushing myself through those days and rough patches. More importantly it’s always about loving yourself no matter what, even on those days where you feel insecure and bad about yourself. This poem goes to all those people who ever feel they need self confidence and serves as a reminder to treat yourself as good as Demi says we should. This poem is self-explanatory, but think of it as a love letter to yourself (from a woman’s perspective).
Loving Yourself
Take a look into the mirror,
Really take a hard look.
Do you see her?
She’s an important person.
She’s you and she’s me.
For a moment,
Forget about being there
For other people.
You need to be there
For yourself.
People, they come
And go. They leave
And some of them
Never come back.
But there will be
One person with you
Every day and that’s
Yourself. You can be
The only one to pick
Yourself up when
You’re surrounded
By darkness.
She’ll see your
Worth and
Determination
Even when nobody
Else sees it.
She’ll be there
When you’re feeling
Ugly and alone.
She reminds you
To be good to yourself.
She gets you over
The pain and heartbreak.
She’s the one
To give you a pep talk.
She gets you over
The bumps in the road.
She’ll be there to
Remind you to breathe.
She helps you find yourself.
She’ll tell you to
Let it all go.
She’ll be the shoulder
To cry on. She’ll be the
One to crack a smile
Or a joke.
Don’t let her leave
You behind
And most importantly
Take care of her because
You need each other.
She’s much more
Than a part of you.
Don’t forget that.
She’s the mind,
The heart, soul
And the true essence
Of everything.
She’s fearless.
She’s unapologetic.
She’s tough. She’s
A fighter. She’s kind.
She’s gentle.
Give her love. She’s
The one who deserves it
Just as much as
Everybody else does.
Loving her and
Letting her live are
The best things
To do for her
And for yourself.
There, she’ll survive
And thrive.
She’ll bloom and
You’ll never
Regret anything.
She’s your best friend.
She’ll help you more
Than anything or
Anybody else.
P.S. It goes hand in hand with my theme of messy ties. As much as it’s important to have connections with other people, it is also important to have a (good) connection with ourselves. Like I said before (in a previous post) “love is all you need.”
