You HAVE TO love yourself.

I know that it sounds cheesy and corny, but it's true. You have to love yourself. If you don't then how is anyone else meant to?.

I know it's easier said than done, but ask yourself this "would you let someone say nasty things about your best friend?". Chances are you wouldn't, so why do you let you put yourself down?.

I am the queen of seeing all the bad things about myself. It all started in high school when my friends (then) boyfriend called me ugly. I still remember his exact words. They were arguing about where to go on a date, my friend asked me where i thought they should go and he said 'why are you asking her for?. She is so ugly, she will never even have a boyfriend,because she is so ugly'. He wasn't exactly in the Brad Pitt stakes himself, but at the time i had 'man issues' (all started with my father abandoning me), so i thought it was impossible for a man to ever love me.

For years, i believed that i was ugly, In fact, i thought i was repulsive. I wouldn't even look at myself in a mirror. I had confidence building classes and that helped. I then decided that it was time that i started to date. That was a mistake.

My first 'boyfriend' admitted that he didn't like me, and his mother made him go out with me (that is a great confidence boost). My first real boyfriend only went out with me for a bet (and also managed to cheat on me countless times, and we were only together a month). I kind dated someone else, but all he talked about was his ex girlfriend, and how he wanted to take things slow as he wasn't ready for anything serious (he did manage to get a girl i know pregnant, during this time he didn't want to be with anyone). And then there was the guy who kept asking me out and then when i said yes would ignore me for months on end.

All of this really dented my confidence. My self esteem got so bad i ended up not liking myself again. I got desperate for anyone to go out with me, i ended up with a total loser (who took me to a kids playground everytime we went out, and ended up being done for gbh on a 14 year old). I decided i needed time for me, and decided not to date.

I worked out the reason men were treating me like crap was because i let them. I decided i needed to learn to love myself before i even thought about dating.

Fast forward until now, and through lots of hard work (and therapy) i am happy with myself. I am not perfect, but nobody is. I love myself (i still have the odd body hang up, but who doesn't?. I also have an amazing boyfriend, who i love loads, and he loves me. He really does take care of me, and i never thought that i would ever feel loved like that.

This has been hard to write, but it's worth it. I know i have acheived a lot, and i won't ever let myself be my own worst enemy ever again.