Shatiera Wood: Experiencing Self Love

"The only thing that will make you happy is being happy with who you are." -Goldie Hawn

Miya Jefferson

November 1, 2021

I wanted to get a perspective from someone else on what self love means to them. I interviewed my friend, Shatiera, a woman who I admire for her beautiful personality and who I believe embodies self love.

Question 1 : What does self love mean to you?

"self love means understanding your beauty within and outside. It's treating your self when necessary, valuing yourself and granting yourself the time to do the things that make you happy. It's embracing your beauty and standing in it."

Question 2: How have you developed your self love over time?

"I started by focusing on the things that were important to me. I took myself away from situations that were harming me. In my alone time I began embracing my inner and physical beauty. I started developing an awareness for who I actually was."

Question 3: Can you give an example of how you demonstrate your self love?

"I make sure to take time for myself to journal, take care of my body and rest when needed. I treat myself to things that make me feel good such as getting my nails and hair done."

Question 4: Tell me about a time you felt like you consciously began to develop your self love..

"Around age 20, College and work was becoming stressful for me and social media began taking a toll on my mental health. I decided to take a break from social media and I really started to focus on what my identity was outside of everything else. This was when I started to realize the things that made me happy in my alone time. I began to find a balance between work, my social life and relaxation, thus re-learning how to love myself."

Question 5: Do you have any advice for anyone on their self love journey?

"Make sure to create some time alone to reflect on who you are and the things that make you happy. Begin to get comfortable with being alone sometimes! It is also important to take time to reflect on the goals you want to accomplish and all the necessary steps you may need to reach those goals. Also try to protect your mental health by doing things like taking a break from social media if needed and removing yourself from stressful situations. And remember to treat yourself because you deserve it!"

Self love looks different for everyone. What may work for some may not work for others. Taking the time to talk with others allows us to share ideas and create that community of like minded individuals. Although self love is a never ending journey, sharing experiences makes this journey just that much more beautiful!