Can you be confident and love yourself whilst having acne?

In short, the answer is  YES YOU CAN!!! I know first hand that liking your reflection and oozing self-confidence whilst battling with acne can seem like it is almost impossible, but trust me, those things can be achieved. I am going to share with you my top tips when it comes to having confidence with acne. 

1. Compliment yourself. Every time you catch yourself being negative and horrible about yourself, say something positive! Self-talk is so important and it can turn your day around! Instead of being so hard on yourself and supercritical start putting a positive spin on things. Even if you feel silly saying or thinking them at first, keep going and you will start to believe the nice things that you start saying. I write little messages to myself in the mirror, so when I am feeling low I just remind myself that I am good enough just as I am.  

2. Do things that make you FEEL good. When you are going through difficult times, it is very important to do lots of things that you enjoy. Not only will this to help lift your mood, but it also means that you are taking care of yourself. Put on some makeup if it makes you feel good, or go bare-faced, whatever makes you feel fab! Put on a face mask, watch movies, see your friends and family, go to the gym, get outside and go for a walk, do whatever makes your soul feel happy! Try to carry on doing the things that you have always done, I know its easier said than done, but it does help to build your confidence.

3. Act confident, even if you’re not. This can be the hardest thing to do, putting on a brave face can be physically and emotionally draining, but I promise you that it will make you stronger. This does NOT mean ignoring emotions and feelings, it is ok to feel whatever you feel, and you must acknowledge how acne is affecting you. Acting confident just means not letting acne stop you from being YOU. Don’t let acne make you feel you are unworthy, you can still do whatever you want and you can still wear a smile on your face. 

4. Be kind to yourself. I say this all the time because it is the ultimate act of self-love. Take things slowly, listen to what you need - especially emotionally and mentally. Acne can be very detrimental to mental health so reach out if you need help. For me, life felt like life was going in slow motion when my acne was at its worst, but it was a signal for me to slow down and treat myself better. 

5. Eat well and exercise. I don’t mean go on some mad diet and exercise loads, I just mean move your body more (in a way that you enjoy) and eat a healthy balanced diet. Take care of your body and head to the doctors to see if they can help get to the bottom of the cause of your acne, or offer some treatment. I tried to heal my skin holistically and visited homeopathic specialist but unfortunately, that didn’t work for me so I visited a dermatologist. Do whatever feels right for YOU, and see healing your skin as a big opportunity to learn more about yourself.

I could go on and write so much about this as there are so many ways to build self-confidence and practice self-love but these are the things that worked well for me! Be super patient with yourself while you are dealing with acne or any skin conditions - everything takes time and things don’t change overnight. Just do what feels right for you. We are all on our journeys and sharing our experiences can help others, don’t be afraid to open up. There is such an amazing acne community on social media and they can be a great support system.

Please know that you ARE beautiful and that you ARE worthy of love. Acne doesn’t mean you are ugly or less of a person, it means that you are a total badass! Keep being strong!