I know we're constantly told to love ourselves first. To see ourselves as beautiful, recognise our worth and never depend on someone else to make us feel enough.

And I agree. Honestly, I do.

But I've also come to appreciate another side of this conversation.

There's something about having people who genuinely remind you that you're beautiful. People who tell you they admire you, who notice the little things about you, who make you feel appreciated without you having to fish for compliments.

And no, I'm not talking about people whose opinions determine how you see yourself.

I'm talking about something much simpler.

You can know you're beautiful and still enjoy being told you're beautiful.

You can be confident in your abilities and still appreciate someone who reminds you how brilliant they think you are.

You can be secure in who you are and still feel warm inside when someone makes you feel seen.

I think we sometimes confuse needing validation with enjoying affirmation. They're not necessarily the same thing.

There's a difference between someone telling you you're beautiful and you desperately needing them to believe it yourself, and someone telling you you're beautiful when you already know, simply making an already good feeling even better.

And perhaps that's one of the underrated things about healthy relationships.

They don't always have to teach you something new about yourself. Sometimes, they simply create an environment where you feel comfortable acknowledging the good things about yourself.

I mean, think about it.

Wouldn't it be lovely to have people around you who don't make you feel silly for appreciating yourself? People who celebrate your little wins, compliment your appearance, acknowledge your intelligence and remind you that you're doing well?

People who don't make you feel like you have to earn every kind word?

I don't think the ultimate goal of self-love should be becoming so emotionally independent that nobody's affection, reassurance or appreciation means anything to you.

I think there's room to love yourself and still enjoy being loved.

There's room to know your worth and still appreciate people who recognise it.

There's room to be your own biggest cheerleader and still have people in your corner cheering just as loudly.

After all, being able to tell yourself you're beautiful is lovely.

But having someone look at you, smile and say it too?

That's lovely in an entirely different way.

And I think we should allow ourselves to enjoy both.