Am I a proud black woman? I looked at myself in the mirror once again. It was not a common question most people would ask themselves but it appeared in my mind. The more I became closer to reaching my goals the more my race played a big part in anything I wanted to do. At first, I thought being a writer was going to be easy. No harm no foul to write romance. I was wrong. The more I became an empowered black woman the more the world wanted to remind me I was less than. It got to a point in my life I had to cut off friends, family, and certain people of my community. I did not know this would be the heartbreak that open the door of self-love.
Self-love. Most people hear the word and they run away from it. I learned at young age to be independent and self-sufficient. It never occurred to me that others would see that as a negative personality trait. I did not care though. I loved my solitude. Honestly, I damn near loved it too much. It taught me a lot about the woman I was and the woman I wanted to become. It even shaped the love I wanted to feel from others.
The more I embarked on my self-love journey the more I wanted to inspire black women to follow their dreams. I want more women of color to be proud of their heritage and the legacy it leaves. Self-love is often looked at as new age ideology or a form of selfishness but it can become a way to feel empowered on our own.
Love your hair, your beauty, and your skin. Remember you are allowed to make mistakes. You are needed in this world. Every bit of you. 💋
Simone’s Journal 