In Cleanne Lynn Johnson’s autobiographical fiction, Love My Colors 978-1950088874, Natashia, the protagonist, faces colorism and racism in her family and community, as her skin is darker than most people around. Even in the family, Natashia had the darkest complexion and she was made aware of that from an early age. So, she struggled with very low self-esteem and confidence for most of her childhood and teenage years. Natashia’s father wasn’t around much and her mother raised her on her own. Both, Natashia and her mother, were the center of each other’s world. Her strength, in the face of adversary, rooted inher strong and resilient mothers.
Through different experiences in diverse places in her life, Natashia learned to love herself and the skin she was born in because she was beautiful just the way she was. Johnson beautifully writes about Natashia’s journey towards self-compassion and self-love. Love My Colors is truly an inspiring and encouraging book that will help many dark-skinned girls like Natashia to find their place in this world with all the love they deserve. Already loving yourself or learning to love yourself is extremely important in our lives. The world always seems like it is built to bring beautiful girls like Natashia down. So, loving yourself in this world is an act of rebellion. And it is good to be a rebel. Scientific reasoning can also prove how good loving yourself can be beneficial for you. According to HuffPost, here are some ways in which self-compassion is good for the mind, body, and soul:
· Accepting yourself can make you happier.
Research suggests that self-acceptance could lead to greater satisfaction with your life -- but it's a habit that many people practice the least. To start seeing yourself the way your friends see you, try asking some of your close pals to share what they think are some of your strengths. Then return the favor. You'll get some insight into what stands out about you, and you'll feel happier about the kindness you displayed back.
· It could encourage you to reach those health goals.
Self-compassion may be the motivation we need to get ourselves to the gym or to kick that smoking habit. Research published in the journal Health Psychology found that building yourself up instead of tearing yourself down can lead to better health decisions. One way to keep track of your goals (and reinforce the accomplishments you've already made) is by writing them down. Studies show that putting pen to paper helps your health and well-being -- in other words, you're doing yourself a favor by putting your accolades in writing.
· Self-compassion may help with mental health issues.
Studies suggest that those who have higher self-compassion are less at risk for developing depression or anxiety, the New York Times reported. Furthermore, research also shows that loving yourself has the potential to make you more optimistic, and students who place their self-worth on internal habits like moral values are less stressed and tend to perform better academically.
· Loving yourself can lead you through adversity.
Life certainly has its peaks and valleys. But when we're on the downswing, a little self-love can help put you back on the up and up. A study published in the journal Psychological Science found that recently divorced individuals who spoke compassionately toward themselves were more able to bounce back in the months following the separation than those who spoke with self-criticism. So how do we start talking to ourselves in this way? Try some simple meditation, which may help give you a momentary boost in self-compassion.
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