How to Love Yourself and Be More Confident

“Don't forget to fall in your love first ” ~ Carrie Bradshaw

I was once a very niave teenager . I wanted a boyfriend more than anything. I never stopped to wonder why, I just wanted it.  Maybe it was because my friends were in long term relationships and I was jealous or that I was fed up of being  friend zoned by every guy I met .

Saying I wanted a boyfriend had a very clear underlying message- I wanted to experience real love and have someone there to make me feel good about myself when I didn’t. During the course of my previous relationship my moods were totally contingent upon the way he made me feel and respected me. And when things got intense I would act like things were fine , when they were not as I wasn't happy.

After this relationship ended, I truly learned the value of loving myself, and I found that with my newfound freedom, I embraced a new chapter in my life which inspired me to become a stronger and more independent person.

My motivation for this post came the other day after watching final episode of Sex in the City : An American girl in Paris . One scene in particular struct out to me , it wasn't when she was reuinted with Mr Big  ( spoiler .. sorry!) it was when Carrie was honest about what she wanted.

"I am someone who is looking for love. Real love. Ridiculous, inconvenient, consuming, can't-live-without-each-other love. And I don't think that love is here, in this expensive suite, in this lovely hotel, in Paris.”

While these insights aren’t anything new to the ways we perceive relationships. I felt like I needed to share my dispute with Cupid and my journey to self discovery.

We’ve all been told that before you enter the world of dating , it is essential to love yourself. But how does one conjure up such love?

I have faced my fair share of insecurity and self-doubt but those questionable periods of my past have allowed me to evolve into someone who is optimistic and aims to inspire others to feel confident in every way possible. I'll be honest with you this new outlook on life didn’t magically happen over night, it took some work and a change of attitude which was done using these tips listed below.

Figure Out your New Confidence.

It really doesn’t matter what other people think of you, it’s the thoughts you have about yourself that makes all the difference. If you want to be regain your confidence then take on board a fresh image whether that's investing in a new wardrobe or taking on board a fitness plan. It's important to remind yourself to have fun and enjoy rediscovering what makes YOU.

List your qualities

By acknowledging your attributes it will allow you to stop focusing on your flaws and accept all the great things that make you who you are. And give you the courage to set yourself goals which can help benefit your career or other aspirations in life.

Know that you CAN be happy alone

Having a fun-loving partner is a wonderful thing, but it isn’t the only thing and it certainly doesn’t make you complete, despite what your monthly zodiac sign might say. If you don’t have a special someone in your life, it’s cool, take the time to find new things for you to enjoy and experience as you only live once.

Go out and explore

Whether that's going abroad or exploring a new city in the UK. Bite the bullet and go and  discover new places around the world . By taking on the plunge to visit a new destination you're opening your eyes to other lifestyles which may help with your journey to self discovery.

Swipe right - Try dating only when you're ready

For those of you are who are new to the singleton lifestyle you may fazed by online dating.  It can be daughting at first however it will help rebuild your self esteem and allow you to meet new people.