What I Once Learned About Love From A Bath bomb

Day 39/366 days of writing in 2024.

I wrote this article a few years ago but dug it up and revamped it after several conversations with clients, colleagues, and friends recently. Everyone comes to me when they want to learn to love themselves more. And believe me, if someone would’ve told me back in my twenties that I would become the “Goddess of Self-Love” I would’ve never believed it. Yet here I am, loving on myself more than just about anyone I know and what a beautiful way life is now. With Valentines Day coming next week, this is the perfect piece to publish today.

Moments Of Truth From The Tub

I love taking baths. It’s one of my top three things that brings me immense joy. Taking baths makes me feel like a goddess, empowered and rejuvenated. I am not just a bath enthusiast, I am a passionate and dedicated bath junkie. In fact, years ago, I used to post a different exotic and luxurious bath tubs on my wall on Facebook every night for sheer fun and inspiration. After a while, people started sending me breathtaking bathtub pictures or started tagging me in posts about beautiful and unique bathtubs. It was amazing to see the impact my love for baths had on others. Eventually, I decided to gather all of my posts and create a Pinterest board called “Most Amazing Bath Tubs In The World" to share my passion with the world. You can view that board here. It will surely make you dream.

One year for my birthday, my thoughtful sister sent me a package filled with her favorite bath bombs for me to try. Let me tell you, they were beyond dreamy. Each bath bomb added a touch of magic and luxury to my bathing experience. I loved them so much that I have placed many additional orders from the same company since then. The first time I ordered, I decided to explore different scents and variations from the ones my sister had sent me.

First Love

One of the bath bombs that caught my eye was called “First Love”. Intrigued by its name and captivated by its enchanting aroma, I couldn't resist trying it out. Little did I know that this simple bath bomb would ignite a profound moment of self-reflection and realization. As I soaked in the tub, surrounded by the soothing oils and gentle fragrance, inspiration flowed through me. It was as if the combination of the bath bomb, my work empowering women to become Self-Approved AF, and my own journey of self-discovery merged into a single transformative thought.

In that moment, I couldn't help but think about our experiences of young love and how we often perceive those early crushes as our first taste of love. For me, it was Johnny Clark, who I met in nursery school when I was just three or four years old. Even now, my family playfully teases me about my fondness for Johnny Clark. But as we grow older, we encounter various crushes, heartbreaks, and failed attempts at relationships. We embark on a journey of self-improvement, seeking answers in the realm of self-help books, trying to understand why things didn't work out.

The Years Of Self Help

We analyze each relationship, drawing conclusions and attributing their failures to external factors. We may say things like, "Well, he was an alcoholic, so it was doomed from the beginning," or "I needed to work on myself; I wasn't ready for a relationship then." These justifications become a pattern, a list of reasons why things didn't work out.

However, as I sat in that bath, surrounded by the comforting warmth of the water and the transformative power of the "First Love" bath bomb, a pivotal realization struck me. The concept of "loving ourselves first" is rarely introduced to us until we reach our thirties or beyond. It was a revelation to realize that while I associated the bath bomb with different men in my life, it was truly about myself. Yet, this concept is rarely taught in this context. I have never heard anyone say, "My first love was myself," and that is exactly what we should all be saying.

The Missing Piece When It Comes To Loving Yourself

The idea of labeling someone as our first love is why we find ourselves so distraught when relationships don't work out. It is a concept that should be instilled in us from a young age. I yearn for parents to teach their children this important lesson, for future generations of girls to grow up with a profound understanding that they are their own first love, and that taking care of themselves is not only essential but empowering.

Inspired by this realization, after my transformative bath, I immediately went online to order another box of bath bombs. However, this time, I made a conscious decision to treat myself like the goddess I am. I checked the box indicating it was a gift and took the time to type a heartfelt message to myself. The message read, "You are a Goddess." I wanted to remind myself of the love and respect I deserve.

To Be Extra, Is To Love Yourself More

To further enhance the experience, I chose to pay the extra $4 to have the package gift-wrapped, even though it was ultimately for me. I do this regally now for myself. I wanted to honor the importance of self-love and self-care by treating myself with the same care and attention I would give to someone I deeply cherish. It was a symbolic act of recognizing my own worth and declaring that I am my own first love.

In this simple act of self-gifting, I reaffirmed my belief that I deserve to be treated with kindness, respect, and adoration. By demonstrating to myself that I am worthy of such treatment, I am teaching others how to treat me. It is through our own actions and self-perception that we set the standards for how others should treat us.

Imagine a world where every person, regardless of gender, grows up understanding the importance of self-love and self-care. Imagine a future where young girls take baths with bath bombs called "First Love" and know wholeheartedly that it is a celebration of their own worth and beauty. The power and confidence that could be cultivated from such a space is immeasurable.

What if we advocated for a society where self-love and self-care are not just buzzwords, but foundational principles instilled in every child from an early age. Together, we can create a world where individuals understand that they are their own first love and deserve to be treated with the utmost care, respect, and adoration.

Want to try those amazing bath bombs? Order them here. I’m not an affiliate I just truly love them.

Want a playlist to remind you of your worthiness? Listen here.