For many big girls, clarity and self love doesn't come until they understand the difference between sex and love. While it has never been a question of finding a man that wants to sleep with me, it is more of a question of them wanting to hold my hand in public afterwards. I confused men wanting to sleep with me for them wanting to be with me for far too long. I didn't understand the difference until I let a man love me. He showed me a world I hadn't seen before. He let the world know that I was his, I was more than a late night call, and that I was beautiful inside and out. Once you see that, you see the things in a different light. You get comfortable in your skin, familiar with turning down advances you're not actually interested in, or being okay with single life. Knowing my self-worth, I would rather be single than with someone who doesn't value my everything. My confidence was indeed tested, the negative remarks after I rejected someone, the lonely nights when I wanted to settle, or the slick talk of someone trying to fool me. With every challenge passed, I realized the strength in my conviction. I truly loved me first and now I know someone else can love me.
On my different social media pages, I get messages from women complimenting my confidence and love of self. They always seem to start the same though, "I wish I was as confident as you are". As flattering as that may sound, I always tell them the same thing, "you can be, it just takes time and patience". You have to face your inner demons before you can face the outside forces.