I have this mentality that every friend I have plays an important role in my life. Some stay for a season and few for a life time. Collectively they help and support me in areas I’m not strong in, shaping me into the woman I am today. The BESTEST friend I made recently and sadly taken for granted, was MYSELF!

How often do you truly ask yourself, “what’s best for me?” How do you know when you’re putting yourself first and at the same time considering others. We tend to become so called “doormats” especially in romantic relationships, because we are driven by our emotions. We’re afraid of losing the people we care and love so much, but forget to take care of ourselves. No one should ever be given the responsibility to make you happy, except yourself.

So when I met my bestie:) and suddenly having the knowledge of putting myself first, I almost couldn’t handle it haha… Was like Cat-woman discovering she has super natural powers and having no control over it. I felt like I was turning into such a bitch lol… I do admit though, it felt a little good in a way, finally standing up for myself and learning to say no. But shortly after that, I realised I still need to be mindful of people’s feelings, while considering mine first.

Having compassion for yourself, forgiving yourself, knowing it’s okay to make mistakes (as long as you can find the lesson in it), having a balance in your life, is all part of loving one’s self. Imagine how would you treat your child, especially those times you find yourself insecure, afraid or lost. Thinking back all the times I’ve put myself in situations that wasn’t good for me, breaks my heart. Times when I allowed myself to be disrespected, I would never allowed that to happen to my child. That even now, I still have to keep forgiving myself, reminding myself of the lesson I’ve learned.

So think about it, where do you start being your best friend? Known fact, everyone likes their best friend. In most circumstances, when you’ve met your best friend, you had positive emotions and good things to say about this person. Start by thinking of yourself in a positive manner. When you start liking yourself, your “flaws” will no longer be flaws, but what makes you YOU! Soon you will have self-respect, in-turn gaining respect from others.

In closing, ultimately SELF-RESPECT is Key.