This post is in collaboration with We Love Dates. We Love Dates have dating sites across 7 different countries. They are currently promoting their #WeLoveReal campaign - spreading the message about being real and loving yourself unconditionally!

 If you knew me in my teenage years, you would have known I was the least confident person ever. I absolutely detested meeting new people, having the focus on me or anyone noticing the way I looked at all. I was the kind of person who tried to hide in the background, pass by unnoticed. 

One day, i'm not exactly sure what it was - but something just clicked in me. Why did I want to live my life in the shadows. Hiding who I really was, really hating who I felt I was, I didn't want to continue that way anymore. 

Over the past 10 years or so, my whole mindset and the way I feel about myself has completely changed. I stop hating myself for being myself. I stop disliking my features, my body, my personality - all the things that make me, me. 

Without those things I wouldn't be me, and I don't want to be anyone else. My body grew and gave life to my children. My husband loves my quirks and my sense of humour, so why shouldn't I love it too? I love all my flaws and 'imperfections' that's what makes me who I am!

We Love Dates  have challenged me to talk about all the reasons why I love who I am, and why you should love who you are too!

It's ok to say that you love yourself - in fact you should love yourself first. I've worked hard to become who I am today, and I am proud of all I have achieved and am achieving in my life. 

I am a kind and caring person. I will try my hardest to always put other people's feelings first and try to make them feel better if they are feeling down. I will always encourage others to feel good about themselves, just the way they are. 

I also feel like I am a positive person generally! (Not overly, unrealistically positive but..) I will always try to see the best in every situation, view each day, each obstacle in a good light. Every cloud has a silver lining after all.

I've recognised the need to look after myself too. After all, being a mum is hard work and you can't pour from an empty cup, so I ensure I take time out for myself when I need it. Loving yourself means looking after yourself too.

I'm proud of my body for giving life to my incredible children, and raising them to be the sweet, happy children they are growing up to be. I try to be the best mum I can be and every day my children show me that I must be doing something right!

It's so important to appreciate yourself for who you are and what you can do - after all, isn't that the sort of role model we want to be for our children? Showing that it's ok to love yourself and be proud of who you are.

So tell me, what do you love about yourself?