Personal essay

  Lessons to learn: a personal essay 

  by leanne leigh B. Villacrusis 

 A wise person once told me,”Putting yourself as your first priority is not being selfish; you cannot truly love someone until you know how to love and accept yourself”.Honestly speaking,I am one of those people who aren't always comfortable opening up  their thoughts or feelings to anyone. I always put other people first before myself. Unfortunately, they never cared or listened to what I truly felt deep inside. Furthermore, I always listened to other people’s opinions and thoughts about me.Then I thought perhaps  ignoring them for once would be the solution, but it just got worse.I never had the chance to give time to myself because I am always there for them when they need help. Sadly, I have never heard a “hey how are you”, or ”How's your life doing?”. Not even a ”Thank you for being there for me” from the people I helped.It took  me months to realise that I was just the backup friend.To be honest,I feel bad for myself because I have never thought of that.I never thought bad about them. I just thought  it was normal for me to be the one that comforts them when they can't even comfort me. I feel guilty for everything that I've done. Well, everything happens for a reason and maybe my circumstances simply prepared me so  that I can be the better version of myself.I need to start listening and  caring for myself and not just always other people. I need to listen to myself because the person who truly knows me deep inside is myself and no one else. I need to take care of myself, pay attention to my feelings and thoughts as well. Lastly,spending more time with myself, loving and accepting myself for being me.I should be a part of my surroundings by doing good in life.I have also realised that I should start changing for the better so that in the future I can make myself proud and not make the same mistakes again.I have accepted the fact that in the end,you will only have yourself and that we should not always depend or trust other people.