Ishika was always the one who said “yes” to everyone.

“Yes, I’ll help you.”

“Yes, I’ll be there.”

“Yes, it’s okay.”

Even when she was tired. Even when she was hurting inside.

She thought being a good person meant never saying “no.”

One day, her best friend called her and said, “Please come with me. I really need you.”

But Ishika had her own college presentation the next day. She was already feeling nervous.

She had to prepare. She needed sleep.

But again… she said “yes.”

She went with her friend, helped her, and came home late.

The next day, Ishika stood in front of the class with a blank mind. She forgot everything she had prepared. Her teacher was upset, and Ishika felt broken inside.

That night, she sat alone and thought deeply.

“I always care for others. But who cares for me?”

“I say yes to everyone. But why can’t I say yes to myself?”

From that day, Ishika decided to choose herself first, not because she stopped loving others, but because she also started loving herself.

She still helped her friends, but not at the cost of her own peace.

She rested when she was tired.

She said “no” when something didn’t feel right.

And slowly, she became stronger. Happier. Lighter.

Many people think that if you love yourself, if you say no, if you choose yourself, your happiness, your need then you’re selfish.

But no, that’s not true.

Selfishness is thinking only about yourself and not caring about others.

Self-love is caring about yourself along with others.

It means you matter too.

Helping someone is good, but not by hurting yourself.

Loving others is beautiful, but only when you also love you.

Self-Love is Not Just Skincare and Pretty Dresses

Yes, dressing up and skincare is a part of self-love, but not the full picture.

Self-love is more than outer beauty.

It’s about how you talk to yourself when you make a mistake. It’s about how kindly you treat yourself on bad days. It's about setting boundaries, respecting your time, and saying “I matter.”

It’s giving rest to your tired body.

It’s forgiving yourself when you’re not perfect.

It’s eating well, sleeping on time, and believing in yourself.

It’s choosing peace over people-pleasing.

Why Self-Love Matters

When you love yourself:

You stop expecting others to make you feel complete. You learn to walk alone without feeling lonely. You find peace in your own company. You don’t stay in wrong places just to feel accepted. You create a life where you are enough. Peace isn’t something very big.

Sometimes, peace is just sitting in your room, smiling softly at yourself, without feeling heavy or irritated.

🌿 "Choosing yourself isn’t selfish. It’s the first step toward peace."

🌸 "You can be kind to others and still not forget to be kind to yourself."

🕊️ "Saying ‘no’ to others is sometimes saying ‘yes’ to your soul."

🌷 "Self-love is not loud, it’s quiet, soft, and patient. But it changes everything."

💫 "You don’t have to do it all. You just have to start choosing yourself more often."

💗 Why Self-Love Matters?

Self-love matters…

because you are your own home.

In every laugh, every tear, every silent night

you are with yourself.

So, shouldn’t that relationship be kind and warm?

When you love yourself, you start to treat yourself with respect, care, and gentleness. You listen to your heart, you forgive your past, you stop saying "sorry" for being you.

🌸

Self-love is not selfish. It's like watering your own roots. If you’re dry and tired from inside, how will you give love to others?

When you love yourself,

you say “no” to things that hurt you,

and “yes” to things that make you bloom.

You stop begging for attention, because you already give yourself enough.

"When I held my own hand,

I stopped waiting for someone to catch me.

When I smiled at my reflection,

I started glowing quietly."

Self-love matters because life is not always easy.

There will be bad days, failures, heartbreaks.

But if you love yourself, you don’t break, you bend. You give yourself time, rest, not hate.

🌿

It matters because one day,

you’ll need to be your own shoulder.

Your own cheerleader.

Your own warm hug.

So start small 🪶

Say kind things to yourself. Give your body rest. Write down your dreams. Forgive your old mistakes.

And slowly, you’ll see your world change. Because when you love yourself, everything around you feels softer, brighter, and safer.

💛 🪶 Loving yourself

When you truly start loving yourself,

you also start loving your body,

your face, your eyes, your hair… your everything.

Just like how we love someone with all our heart

and we find them the most beautiful person in the world,

even if others don’t see them like that

in the same way, when you love yourself,

you start seeing your own beauty with your own loving eyes.

You look in the mirror,

and instead of finding mistakes,

you smile and say,

“You look good today.”

When you get ready

do your hair, wear that dress,

apply a little lip balm or kajal

you don’t do it to impress anyone,

you do it for you.

And sometimes,

you just stand there in front of the mirror for 5 or 10 minutes,

not to check flaws,

but just to admire

your smile, your eyes, the glow in your face.

And let me tell you, that is not a bad thing. That’s not ego, that’s not overconfidence.

That’s self-love.

🌸 Because happiness doesn’t always come from big things.

Sometimes, it comes from these tiny soft moments.

Like when you like your outfit.

When your hair falls just right.

When you feel fresh after a shower.

When you look at yourself and say,

“I’m proud of who I’m becoming.”

These small joys, they add peace to your day.

And that’s what self-love does ,

It makes your heart lighter, your days brighter, and your smile real.

🌷 Self-Love Is Not a Crime

Sometimes, people make it feel like loving yourself is wrong.

Like it’s selfish, or a big mistake.

But no, loving yourself is not a crime.

Taking care of yourself,

thinking about your needs,

giving time to your rest,

eating well, sleeping well,

choosing peace

these are not wrong things.

We live this life once,

and this life is a gift from God.

So when we pray and say “thank you” to God

for giving us everything

a family, friends, air to breathe, a sky to watch

then shouldn’t we also say thank you

to our body and heart,

who stay with us every day?

Think about it.

Your body fights for you every second.

It protects you from bad bacteria,

from sickness, from weakness.

When something is wrong inside,

your skin shows signs, your head aches,

your body gives you soft warnings.

It says, “Take rest. Slow down. I’m tired.”

It cares for you… every moment.

Your emotions?

They go through so much.

Even when your heart is heavy,

when memories hurt,

when you cry at night

still, your emotional side says:

“Don’t worry, we’ll try again tomorrow.”

It keeps smiling through the pain.

It helps you move forward, little by little.

And that’s why,

self-love is not selfish.

It is respect.

It is gratitude.

It’s saying thank you to your body and heart

for being your forever team.

So don’t feel guilty

for choosing yourself sometimes.

Don’t feel wrong for taking a break.

Don’t feel bad for not pleasing everyone.

Because when you are okay,

when you are at peace

you can love others better too.

You shine more,

you smile more,

and that soft light inside you

starts to glow again.

So love yourself.

It’s not a crime.

It’s your quiet way of saying

“Thank you, my body. Thank you, my heart. I see you. I love you.”

A Soft Reminder

Dear reader,

Choosing yourself is not being rude.

Resting is not laziness.

Saying no is not wrong.

You are allowed to care for your heart.

You are allowed to love your mind, your body, your emotions.

You are allowed to prioritise yourself first, in your list you are allowed to write giving yourself love first, giving yourself time first, care about yourself first.

Like Ishika, you too can learn to say,

“Yes, I matter too. Yes, I think about myself first, i prioritize myself first."

💌 A Message for You, Dear Reader

Hey you,

If no one told you today

you’re doing really well. 🌷

Even on days when it feels heavy,

even when your smile is a little tired

you’re trying. And that matters.

This chapter wasn’t just about Ishika.

It was also about you.

About your tired days.

Your small wins.

Your quiet strength.

Please remember:

🌿 Saying “no” is not rude.

🌿 Taking rest is not weakness.

🌿 Loving yourself is not pride, it’s healing.

You deserve the same love you give so freely to others.

You deserve peace, in your body, your mind, your heart.

You are not too much.

You are not too little.

You are just enough, exactly as you are.

Take a deep breath.

Close your eyes.

Say softly:

“I matter too.”

And let that be your starting point.

With all my heart,

Belle 💛

Let's Journal with me 🍀🫐

1. When was the last time I said “yes” to someone but really wanted to say “no”? Why did I do that?

2. What does choosing myself look like in daily life?

3. Write about a moment when you put others first and felt drained. How would you handle it differently now?

4. List 3 things you can start doing to show more care and love for yourself.

5. What do I often feel guilty about when I take time for myself? Where does that guilt come from?

6. Write a short letter to yourself: encouraging you to choose yourself without fear or shame.