Empowerment through poetry

Since it's Valentine's Day, I thought maybe we could share our battles of self-love, about embracing the heavy emotions and the ups and downs. Whether you're in a relationship, single, in something complicated or prefer to not say, I believe it all starts with self-love. Sometimes, others can inspire us to realize our own worth or act as a mirror to appreciate who we are. Other times, the hurt and pain hits us deep yet can blossom hope in us that there is more than this. That we are more than this.

So, what is one thing you wish you had told yourself, perhaps when you were younger or when you needed it most? What is something you need to remind yourself of more often? How have you come to accept yourself or are you still on that journey?

Not really a contest or challenge, just share in prose or poetry on this thread if you'd like <3
Kind of like a reflection or group therapy session because why not ;)

Broken never means
Destroyed when the inner-child
Is loved by the self

It's still an ongoing process for me. I'm trying to wholly love and accept myself, and I'm succeeding.

It’s a nice idea. :) I’m glad you’re succeeding in learning to love yourself, Noura by the way.

Between 2009-2012, and 2015 were years I mostly berated and really disliked myself, and I do wish I had lived more for myself. I have more stability now, but the struggle for self love is as difficult as ever. I still don’t like what I see in the mirror, and reminding myself that I’m worth love is a regularity since I’ve lost many friends over the years, and it’s difficult to be such a constantly self consumed, and analytical person as dwelling upon things makes it more complicated to feel much positivity towards yourself.

I accept where I am, what I’m doing, but not who I am, yet. :)

This has gotten slightly side-tracked in a way...because only one poem has submitted a poem as requested .Anyway...my thoughts...I am older than any of you who have posted and I'm wondering if that is the reason why I never really had an issue with self worth etc when I was growing up...I was just me and very happy to be in my own skin. I've never doubted my worth in society, never questioned it either. Is social media to blame for all the issues you all seem to have now regarding your worth/place/relationships in society today? Can't you just be happy with your achievements no matter how small they may seem to you? Can't you just take a breath and realize that a relationship was just not meant to be?

I guess I'm just an old fart trying to understand why the future generation is so negative about themselves...

Do you really have to to
worry about the thoughts of your
friends or neighbours?
dance naked, feel free...

What should I say?
I guess the fellow poets said it all. I just want to express my journey in last six years through their words.

In 2013, I was like
"I accept where I am, what I’m doing, but not who I am, yet. :)"

In 2016, I was like
"
It's still an ongoing process for me. I'm trying to wholly love and accept myself, and I'm succeeding."

And in 2019, I am happy with my achievements and stopped worrying about the thoughts of my friends or neighbors. So,
" dance naked, feel free... "

Okay younger me, it might sound crazy or dumb or without sense but

You got to know, that God is Love
and that God is everything
And that everything is nothing
and that nothing is everything
per se

You got to know, that in a seed
there’s nothing yet there’s everything
Just look at the tree that came from a seed

And younger me, just know
That Love is knowledge
and that knowledge is love
But please do know
That love is everything
And knowledge is nothing
without love

And remember, everything is nothing and nothing is everything

Here, remember this:

“”A sage has explained it in simple way to a disciple in the following way:

He has shown a big tree and and its parts. Then he has asked the disciple to get a fruit. He asked disciple to what is inside and disciple replied few seeds. He asked disciple to see what is inside the seed. disciple said nothing inside the seed.

Now Sage explained the disciple that the very big tree and its parts as well as the fruits are all within that seeds. Yes that seeds contains everything!

That is called everything in nothing! Written by unknown”

But also remember this:

“Without you- there’s nothing- I am nothing”

I've always wonder - it has always been
a part of me, wondering that is. About

existence. . . with my eyes closed, I see
you - black. I rub my eyelids, I see you -

colorful. And within a moment, I stretch
my arms as wide as open, I feel you -

the breeze. I embrace my back as tight as
possible, I feel you - my shoulder blades.

And I wonder, if I open my eyes, will I still
see you? Will I still feel you?

I was six, or ten, not sure. It's been a while.
Time passed through my bones. It stretched

them. It hurt. It hurts to grow. So many
changes. My sight got blur, more blur. I see

but I don't. Turtles walk slow. People walk
fast. Dogs run. No wonder some live ages

while others live until they die.. ha! Ironic,
life is ironic, isn't? I wonder,

if I close my eyes, will I still see you? Will I still
feel you? like when I was six, or ten, not sure,

it's been a while. Time passed through me,
it gave me a shape of an hourglass.

No wonder a few men called woman a time passed...
They think they hold our time, not sure why,

the hourglass? They think they can flip up us
around? They think they can control us?

Can anyone control time? Time passed
through me, I was six, or ten, not sure,

it's been a while. But If I open my eyes,
will I still see you? Will I still feel you?

Or will it be like back then, when I was six,
or ten, not sure, but I closed them, and I saw

you - black. I rubbed my eyelids, I saw you -
colorful. And then I opened my eyes

to closed them again and see you,
but there was nothing.

Written by: L.L

Feb 11, 2014 - 12:34 am

I learned to love myself in recent decades
and not to dread losing (except in arcades)
but I truly hope I never give up striving
to become more when finally arriving

Unfortunately i think that is how the world is nowadays. I remember being a kid in the mid 90s and that to me is when everything felt free, but perhaps i am biased because that was the last time i was truly happy. I rode my bike freely, played with hotwheels and tonka trucks etc. I believe the world nowadays is too politically and religiously charged to be free so to speak. Especially here in America where everything is polarized now. A lot of people blame trump (I'm not starting a conversation or argument, I'm indifferent) however i just observe people blaming him. Anyway to your point i do agree that people need to "loosen up" a bit and i do think that people are oversensitive now but again i miss the 90s, so my perspective is way different than most people.

There will always be those
much better off than you
some in worse positions
others without a clue

Some will try and change you
bring hurt and personal harm
so be careful who you trust
don't be taken in by charm

Why bother worrying
about things you cannot change
what people think or do
beyond your life skill range

Live your life the best you can
make decisions with your mind
take responsibility
on all that you have signed

Life will turn out well
good things will come your way
just be true to your heart
to have a happy day

My parents always brought me up to believe that there will always be people who are more talented, attractive and who have more going on in their lives but equally there will always be people worse off too. So all you can do is be the best that you can be and then not worry about it.

There will always be people who like you instantly, others that dislike you and some in-between. Generally when people don't like someone it is usually because they are different or because they remind them of someone else that they have met and didn't like or because they feel threatened, jealous, envy or just because they are going through a tough time. Since you really have no control over what people think why worry about it? If you stay true to yourself and do your best to be kind and live your life well to the best of your ability then you will have a much happier calm life.

Accepting yourself for who you are, changing what is changeable whilst embracing what you can't, brings a certain self confidence and sense of understanding and peace. Conforming to others expectations or mindlessly following what other people do or say rarely gives that level to a person.

When all is said and done you come into this world on your own and you go out on your own. How you choose to live and share your life in between is your own business but if you want to be comfortable and happy in your own skin then you need to understand and accept your self, make your own decisions and choices and take responsibility for them.

Best wishes Milly x