Self-love and self-actualization are not just buzzwords for the modern age; they are pathways to uncovering and embracing the most authentic versions of ourselves. As we navigate this new year, it’s crucial to remember that true progress begins with understanding and accepting who we are at our core.

This journey of self-love reminds me of something profoundly personal—my connection to my mother and the unexpected way we both loved Zora Neale Hurston. Hurston, with her unapologetic boldness and vibrant prose, has always been a symbol of living authentically. But it wasn’t until I was writing my doctoral dissertation that I discovered just how deeply intertwined our admiration for her was. My mother, while teaching English at William Penn High School in High Point—a historic all-Black school—taught Hurston’s works. This connection between us, discovered long after her passing, felt almost surreal. It was as if my mother had planted a seed of self-discovery in me long before I even realized it.

Hurston once wrote, “I am not tragically colored.” She rejected pity and shame, choosing instead to celebrate her identity, her history, and her being. This lesson is one I’ve carried into my own journey of self-love. Loving ourselves means standing unapologetically in the fullness of who we are, even when the world pressures us to conform.

This year, I challenge myself—and you—to lean into this idea of authentic self-love. For me, that means shedding the guilt and fear that have sometimes held me back, embracing the creativity and passions that are uniquely mine, and listening to the quiet echoes of my mother’s wisdom. She loved deeply, taught boldly, and lived authentically, and I aim to carry that legacy forward.

Loving ourselves doesn’t mean perfection. It means offering ourselves grace, prioritizing our mental and emotional well-being, and recognizing that we are beautifully imperfect works in progress. It means creating space for our dreams and finding joy in the process of becoming.

As Hurston said, “There are years that ask questions and years that answer.” Let’s make this year one that answers—a year where we honor the questions we’ve asked about who we are and who we’re meant to be by stepping into our authentic selves with confidence and courage.

May this be a year of blooming into the fullness of who we are, of celebrating our individuality, and of loving ourselves fiercely, just as my mother taught me to, and just as Zora Neale Hurston inspires us to.

Bloom boldly.
Love authentically.
Step into your year with joy.

In love and charity,

Giselle (aka) Blooming-lillie