Strength TogetHER 15 - Session 8
Dec 25, 2021
FIRST LOVE YOURSELF
'Strength TogetHER,' a girls-only peer-to-peer self-development group supervised by 'Lokopakar,' an organization that supports youth development through a range of programs, was formed to explore different points of view, insights, experiences, and stories. By providing a safe space for girls of diverse perspectives and backgrounds to simply be themselves, this virtual platform encourages them to flourish as individuals.
After the success of our seventh session, we convened our eighth session via Zoom on, with all the excitement, enthusiasm, and apprehension that comes with it. The "SELF LOVE IS NOT SELFISH" session started at 6:00 p.m. and finished about 7:30 p.m.
With about 15 attendees and four speakers, it was a really enjoyable and productive session. We felt protected and secure under the moderation of Swastika Dangal, who believes that comprehensive sexuality education helps in improving people’s attitude towards sexual and reproductive health and behaviors which contributes in self-love and acceptance She has conducted a project on Menstrual Health.
With a warm hello and a bright smile, we began our session. With out further ado, we began calling the speakers to ask them about their feelings and stories regarding self-love.
• Our first speaker discussed how she made compromises with her choices and wants for the person with whom she is in a relationship. And now she realizes that she shouldn't have compromised her values just because she cares about someone. Everyone has the freedom to enjoy their personal preferences.
• Our second speaker stated that she always considers herself to be her top priority, but that this has resulted in her receiving a lot of negative feedback. She has fewer friends because she prioritizes her own happiness over the happiness of others.
• Our third speaker mentioned that she used to compromise with her interests to show others. For instance, she used to pretend to appreciate Hollywood music simply because her friends did. She used to suppress her curiosity about everything from her travel plans to the foods she adores.
• When our fourth speaker expresses her desire in front of her relatives and friends, she receives comments such as "you are selfish, you are self-centered, you constantly think about yourself," and so on. She now believes that prioritizing yourself is incorrect.
Our moderator shared some of her personal experiences with us throughout the hearings, which motivated everyone who attended. The following are some of the things our moderator said that motivated us:
• Everything else will fall into place if we love ourselves first. To do anything in this world, we must first love ourselves.
• Self-love is not self-centered; we can't fully love someone else until we've learned to love ourselves.
• Every day, put yourself at the top of your to-do list, and the rest will take care of itself. Move as if you are proud of who you are. Speak as if you are proud of who you are. Act as if you genuinely care for yourself. Self-acceptance is important.
• The most important thing is to put yourself first. Don't be concerned about what others may think. Don't make the mistake of thinking you have fewer friends. Do not believe that you are alone. For you, you have your parents and yourself.
Everyone had a great chance to learn and unlearn new concepts throughout this session. We were all ecstatic to be a part of such a lovely family with such wonderful young girls.
We shot a picture at the end of an hour-long session to commemorate our time together. We completed our session with a smile on our faces. I'm excited to hear more!!!
This blog is written by Dipa Yadav, the proud coordinator of Cohort 15, an eager learner who appreciates sharing her experiences and believes in the concept of ‘Strength in Togetherness’.
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