The older I get, the more I realise that it's through loving yourself in gentle ways that you open the doors to all the right things in life. And that love - true, lasting love - isn't something you're simply born with. It's something you cultivate, in little everyday ways. It's in speaking to yourself as you would to a frightened child. Resting your heart against the silence and letting it breathe. Wrapping your body in soft sheets after a long day. Pouring tea slowly, as if time has nowhere else to be. It's in forgiving yourself for not knowing better before you did. Allowing tears to fall without rushing to wipe them away. Buying yourself flowers or chocolates for no reason at all. Taking long showers to wash away more than just the day. Going for slow, unhurried walks. Smiling at your reflection, even when it feels strange. It's in choosing softness, again and again, when you want to harden. Whispering "it's okay" to your past self. Dancing in your room when no one is watching. Unlearning the idea that you must be perfect to be loved. It's a long road, with its own challenges and moments of doubt, but it's a journey that's worth every step.