This month at Collins we are celebrating Pride 2022. Pride month began back in 1969 and is still so important because it marks the start of huge change within the LGBTQIA+ community, as well as the wider societal implications. Although attitudes and injustice remain, we have come a long way since the riots of 1969 and by continuing in this long-standing tradition we continue to raise awareness, improve the attitudes of society, and encourage inclusiveness.

Learning to love yourself for who you are is the hardest acceptance for some people and can take many years to feel completely comfortable in your own skin. Pride month is all about accepting who you are no matter what without facing any judgement or prejudice, we are here to provide some tips on how to learn to love yourself that little bit and begin your own acceptance journey.

1) Be unafraid to express yourself
- Expressing your emotions is the first step to self-healing, whether that is telling someone that you’re not okay or beginning your own self-help journal, talking is the best therapy. Statistics have shown that being creative on a journal or diary has proven to release stress and anxiousness but also bring out that creative side which can really help If you struggle to speak the words you want to say out loud. Discovering your emotions is the most freeing thing a person could ever do for themselves. Allow yourself to embrace it all. Embrace all that you feel.

2) Keep fighting through the bad days
- Yes, it is the hardest thing to do some days especially when your thoughts take over and they are incredibly hard to shut out. As difficult as things may be, know that you have the power to work through it — or around it at least. We are all tested in life with different situations and these all shape us into the type of person that we are today. Allow yourself the 5 minutes to be down and then take a deep breath, the world is your oyster so don’t let the bad days take over how far you have come.

3) Remind yourself of your worth
- We all have those days where we feel like we look awful and have no self-confidence at all, but have you ever made a conscious effort to be kinder to yourself. A little tip that can be useful for some people is leaving little notes around the house with kind messages even just to make sure that you smile a little bit today. Pride month is all about celebrating who you are as a person and understanding that you are worth so much.

4) Journaling
- Self-love is a journey that you can choose to start when you feel ready. Journaling can be a great way for kick starting your journey as it can be a confidence builder, some people find it a lot easier to express themselves onto paper. Once beginning your journaling journey, it can be easier to understand the way you feel by reading back your notes and can then if you feel ready express verbally to a close friend or family member.

5) Finally – Do what makes you happy
- Last but not least! Probably one of the most important factors of self-love is doing what makes you the happiest. Look at what hobbies you do in your spare time, are they fulfilling your needs? Then make time for them. Take up a new hobby, read a new book, spend time with friends and family, go away somewhere for the day. Statistics show that we should be fitting in one thing per day that makes us relaxed and at our happiest, which realistically should be something we already do but understandably life does get in the way, so we really do need to make time and be selfish for ourselves.

The concept of self-love is simple: it just means valuing and caring for your own needs, wants, and desires. It isn’t about being selfish. It’s about making sure you have time to recharge to have the energy and resources to be there for others. Think of an airplane we are told to put on our own oxygen mask before the person next to you. This is because if you run out of air it is harder for you to help anyone else including yourself. Reason being why sometimes it is okay to be selfish and remember to put yourself first.