“Dear Merrie D. Anne,

I’ve struggled with self-worth for a long time. Sometimes I genuinely feel like I hate myself. How can I treat myself better, and value myself more?

Sincerely,  Anita Vice”

Dear Anita Vice,

The first step to self-love is accepting that you are a flawed person. You will make mistakes, you will disappoint yourself, and not everyone will like you, and that’s okay. As long as you are not doing anyone harm you should not be so hard on yourself. There is nothing wrong with self-improvement, but first, focus on all the good things you have already accomplished.

Understand that you make a difference. You may not realize it but you impact the lives of so many people. There are people in your life who love you, rely on you, and want to support you. No matter how lonely you get, remember that you still have more people left to meet.

With that being said, your worth is not measured by others.

Think of your younger self. Think of how your younger self would view you now, they would think that you are so cool. Try to reconnect with that old part of yourself, this may help you be more compassionate to yourself. You deserve to be happy and comfortable in your own skin.

Stand up for yourself and don’t let anyone disrespect you. Do not tolerate anyone to speak badly about you or push you around. How will you learn to be kind to yourself if you continue to let others put you down? You should not let others take away from your peace.

Lastly, try this exercise. List five good things about yourself and about your day every night. It may be hard at first but don’t give up.

If you feel that you might need more help, don’t be afraid to reach out to your friends and family. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24 hours at 800-273-8255.