The Girl Next Door is Black

We all have our moments of doubt, where we feel like we’re not good enough or pretty enough or whatever-it-is enough. This starts so early, this self-doubt. It becomes like a shadow that follows us around to rain on our parade from time-to-time. Trip us up. Cause us grief.

I wrote myself a cheesy love letter
source

I decided rather than doing what is all-too-easy and focusing on what I don’t like about me, I’d take some time to think about what I do like.

I took an objective view (as much as this is possible) and considered what other people see when they meet me. How my friends feel when they are around me. What my dad thinks when he sees the woman I am now. What my younger sisters think when they think of their big sister. I’m someone’s aunt.

I wrote an ode to myself. I wrote about all the traits, qualities, experiences and inherent me-ness that makes me Keisha. As I reread it, I finished with, “You are beautiful.” And I believed it.

Of course, this is nothing new or groundbreaking. We’re told all the time to love and appreciate ourselves. But, this time, I wasn’t just repeating an empty mantra after watching a very inspirational episode of Oprah. I meant it.

I took the time to assess who I really am and how far I’ve come, and in the end concluded that I have a lot to be proud of, grateful for and to like about myself. I truly like who I am, the good, the bad and the shameful. I’ll never be perfect, as hard I may try, but I think this woman full of imperfections is pretty cool.

Try it. I’m curious to hear your results.

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