Selena Gomez Taught Me The Most Important Thing About Self-Love

Selena Gomez Shows What Self-Love Truly Means

“Today I realized I will never look like this again…” she said. The story featured a past photo of the actress and singer wearing a zebra bikini, while the next photo showed a recent Selena wearing super cute black, high-waisted black bikini bottoms and a white top. “I’m not perfect, but I am proud to be who I am," she said on the story. "Sometimes I forget it’s ok to be me.”

When I first started thinking about self-love, it was hard to formulate just what self-love meant to me. It was a cute and cozy idea about embracing what makes you different and engaging in Treat Yourself Thursdays. My initial understanding of self-love was surface-level and entirely aesthetic, and I craved something deeper. But there are two very important ideas in Selena Gomez' Instagram stories that prove self-love is anything but surface-level: the idea that we're not perfect, and the idea that we can be proud of ourselves anyway. Because self-love isn't just an aesthetic addition to our social media. Nor is it ignoring qualities we need to grow out of under the guise of "embracing our flaws." Realizing we're consistently growing into the person we're meant to be — and that person at their very best will never be perfect — means that we're getting to know ourselves better than we ever could otherwise.

Selena Gomez is a wonderful example of self-love because how she handles her highs and lows with total grace. On days I compare myself to other women — or even past versions of myself — I'm reminded just how messy and chaotic my soul can be. But even my worst days are lessons in patience or selflessness and sacrificing for the people around me (which sounds great when I'm writing this. During the actual moments? Not so easy).

Learning How To Embrace Self-Love In Your Own Life

Self-love is an opportunity to be there for ourselves on every mountain top and in every valley. Celebrating our own wins, encouraging ourselves during the lowest lows. Embracing our flaws as learning opportunities, working through a difficult time, chasing our dreams, or crying after any kind of heartbreak are all forms of self-love because true self-love doesn't have a one-size-fits-all definition. It changes between people — and depending on what you need in the moment. Just like the perfect pair of shoes or the perfect dress, your version of self-love is tailor-made for you. And it will fit perfectly.

Are you ~loving~ Selena Gomez's take on self-love? Check out her work with Rare Beauty On World Mental Health Day, her Most Relatable TikTok Ever, and, for the Swifties, her amazing Friendship Timeline With Taylor Swift! Selena Gomez is truly one of my biggest inspirations and I hope I can be as gracious as her. Selena — we love you!