Practicing self-love is a vital part of learning how to move through the world with grace and compassion. Kindness can be a radical act, and it starts with you. Here’s how you can grow and learn to love yourself, even the part of you that, for some reason, enjoys musical theatre.
Know that you already deserve love.
You are an evolving and imperfect person, but your capacity for self-love should never be conditional. Accept that you make mistakes, accept that you allow judgment to creep into your thinking, accept that in 7th-grade chorus you did a selection of Guys and Dolls songs fall semester and that never really left you. Despite what your heart, soul, and society may tell you, this does not make you undeserving of love.
Embrace your complicated nature.
Our consumerist culture wants you to see yourself as a series of problems that can be fixed with the right product or lifestyle, but you have the power to form your own self-conception based on love, gentleness, and nuance. This doesn’t mean not taking personal responsibility, but it does mean accepting that you deserve to love every part of who you are in this moment, including the part that goes into Spotify private mode and cries to “Empty Chairs At Empty Tables” while you do the dishes. Love that part, you Broadway bitch.
You are more than you know.
If you feel lost or like you’re not sure who you are right now, know that’s because you are growing, so of course, this new terrain feels unfamiliar. It’s okay to change. It’s okay to follow your instincts and desires before they make total sense to you. Like, maybe the part of you that enjoys musical theatre is bigger than you thought. Is there something you’re not telling us? Was the Hamilton cast recording your most listened to album at any time between 2015 and 2020? Oh fuck, it’s worse than we thought. But no, no, love yourself, it’s fine! That’s not our thing, but we’re totally not judging you.
So while it fundamentally contradicts with your sense of self, you enjoy Hamilton, Mamma Mia, most Andrew Lloyd Webber, and all Sondheim. You should own and love these parts of yourself, even if it will get you ostracized from most people you know. Whatever, screw them, Phantom fucks!
