Confidence is an important quality that can have a significant impact on our lives. It can influence how we present ourselves to others, how we approach new challenges and opportunities, and how we navigate difficult situations. When we are confident, we are more likely to feel positive about ourselves and our abilities, and this can translate into success and happiness.

But sometimes, it can be difficult to accept compliments and praise, especially if we struggle with self-doubt or low self-esteem. It's natural to feel a bit awkward or uncomfortable when someone compliments us, but it's important to remember that receiving a compliment is not the same thing as boasting or being arrogant. In fact, being able to accept compliments graciously is a sign of confidence and self-assurance. I know our society has tried to make you feel like accepting a compliment makes you look egotistical, but I am here to tell you that an ego isn’t always a bad thing. You have permission to love yourself.

This conditioning starts from a young age, maybe it started for you when an adult shamed you for asking about your privates, maybe it started when many of the girls in the media were only liked for their body, maybe it started with feeling like you will get in trouble with saying the words penis and vagina. We all know this shame around sex, and as adults many of us are still dismantling this conditioning. Now, what would it look like if we were able to reduce that shame for our children? What if the next generation learned how to set boundaries, love their bodies and felt confident in knowing how their body works? Many parents ask me this question. “How can I reduce shame for my kids around sex?”

Let Me Introduce Yourself is an organization designed to help women increase their confidence and love of themselves through one-on-one mentoring, workshops, and keynote speeches. Many people like to believe "when" statements. "When I lose weight, I will be beautiful." "When I get a partner, I will be loveable." "When I get the promotion, I will be confident in my skills."

I heard these statements from myself and the people around me, and we continued to wait for the "when." The women around me and I would lose weight and be shocked that we still didn't like what we saw in the mirror. We would get the promotion but not feel worthy or successful enough. It was when I realized that we need to change our inner dialogue, let go of society's standards, and develop daily self-love practices to see real change in our confidence.

Body Neutrality is accepting that our body is not the most important thing about us, It is dismantling the idea that if you don’t look a certain way, then you’re not enough. Body Neutrality is understanding that just by owning a body, you are worthy of a beautiful life, regardless of how it looks. Body Neutrality is the middle space between body hatred, and self-love, it is a place that we can sit when society’s conditioning creeps into our minds. It is comfortable and safe. It is Sweden. It is Neutral.

Sixteen is the strangest age, you're not quite an adult but you feel like one. You are having to deal with adult things while still being treated like a kid. You have a curfew while you are exploring changing friendships, changing perspectives and changing sex drive. You have to ask to go to the bathroom while being asked to decide what you want to do for the rest of your life. It is strange having adult responsibilities and feelings while still having child rules and this can be challenging. For me it led to me wanting to show everyone I was grown up without having the experience to tackle some BIG issues.

I believe that self-love is meant to have different definitions to different people. How you interpret what self-love is, is going to depend on many factors including; how you were raised, your values, your relationship status and where you are in your healing journey. This is where the “self” comes in, not only is self-love about learning how to love yourself but it is also an extremely personalized experience that will never look the same to every person. This is the beauty of self-love, it is love that we get to decide how it shows up in our world.

Now , I am not saying that letting go of mom guilt is easy… actually it is really hard, but many things that are important are challenging. Like taxes, and setting boundaries with your mother in law. Challenging, but important. Here are some steps I found really helped us let go of the guilt of leaving Logan with Grandma and Grandpa for the first time as Steve and I fell in love with San Francisco and each other with our new titles of Mom and Dad.

The changes in this picture are subtle to our eyes but massive to our subconscious. We are conditioned to always want to look a little different, because how could a society that profits off our insecurities survive if we loved ourselves?

Unconditional self love will never be achievable until we free ourselves from the conditioning of what we are supposed to look like, how we’re supposed to act and who we are supposed to be that has been instilled in us since the day we were born.