ME, MYSELF AND I

Explanation

This is an guide book dedicated to all the girls that are trying their best to love and take care of themselves in a society that is telling them constantly not to do it. Our whole lives have been dictated by beauty standards. Since we were little girls we were taught day by day that we were not good enough and that the expectations of society were very high.
The amount of pressure that we were exposed to and that has been building up until this day is unbelievable. Most of us grew up looking at a magazine, knowing exactly that we would never look like those women. We couldn't even play with our Barbie dolls without being chased by beauty standards and I personally think that it is really worrying to think that something so basic as a children's toy has become the role model for the little ones.

Since we knew what perfection looks like, we have kept pressuring ourselves just to conform and fit into society's standards. It is terrifying to have to deal with such a personal struggle at such a young age. It is not enough to just look like some kind of doll in order to please society's expectations. You also have to be intelligent, funny, talented, sociable, confident, feminine, have good manners and oh did I say beautiful? Well beautiful too. But how can you feel beautiful if the entire world is telling you that you are ugly? How can you be confident after they have removed the last piece of confidence that you had? And as if those expectations were not too much to ask, they also expect from us to make diets if we are not a size 0, to shave and perfume ourselves. To wear makeup but not too much makeup because if you wear too much, you are being artificial. And of course you have to want to be a mother, because that's why women are made for but before you have to get married, because every woman wants to be married. You also have to have a job and at the same time you have to take care of your children, cook and clean. And please make sure to spend time with your family and friends! Well, all those little things are society's expectations of us women since we are little girls. We grew up being told what to wear, what to do and how we should be. Not only by magazines but also by television advertising, posters on the streets and even at home by the people we love the most, like our parents. The expectations that they have on us are so big that we cant even find time for OUR expectations and needs. And to be honest, most of us don't even know what our needs are because we have always been taught to make sure we fulfill the needs of others rather than our own. We have learned that it is our role to take care of others and that giving up our needs for others is what really makes us a good women. We have learned to feel guilty after saying No to something that we didn't want to do and as if that wasn't enough, they have the nerve to call us selfish! At this point I don't even know if I should laugh or cry, because that's so ridiculous. Taking time for doing something good for yourself isn't selfish. It is necessary!

So here is why I am doing this guide book since nobody has ever taught us how to love and take care of ourselves. I want to show you the meaning and the importance of self-love and self-care and of course how you can practise them. My goal is to help you as far as I can with my pieces of advice but that doesn't necessarily mean that it has to work. It depends on you. You have to apply the tips that I give or at least try it and the most important thing, you must be patient with yourself. Nobody changes from day to night. Give yourself time to grow and everything will work out!