Summary

The web content promotes embracing self-love and a positive self-image through the metaphor of "The Love Bus," encouraging readers to change their self-perception and practice self-compassion.

Abstract

The article, titled "Self-Esteem Humor," uses a playful and motivational tone to encourage readers to shift from a self-critical mindset to one of self-love and appreciation, akin to the transformative experience of riding "The Love Bus." It suggests that altering one's perspective can lead to a more positive self-image, advocating for self-praise and flattery as a means to combat self-loathing. The narrative emphasizes the importance of rewriting one's internal script to cultivate self-esteem, comparing it to an actor's process of getting into character. The author humorously advises readers to "kiss their own ass" as a metaphor for recognizing and embracing their own value, suggesting that one should treat oneself with the same respect and admiration they would offer to someone they deeply admire or desire to befriend.

Opinions

The author believes that self-love is an undervalued and underpracticed concept that people should prioritize more, suggesting that the societal norm is to remain in a state of self-pity.
The article conveys the idea that external validation is less important than self-validation, and that individuals should be their own biggest cheerleaders.
It is suggested that self-perception is malleable and can be improved by actively engaging in positive self-talk and narrative restructuring.
The author uses humor and hyperbole to emphasize the importance of self-compassion, suggesting that one should treat oneself as they would a cherished friend or a person they admire.
The metaphor of "The Love Bus" serves to illustrate that a positive environment and mindset can significantly influence how one views themselves.
The text implies that individuals often lie to themselves about their self-worth in a negative way, and it encourages them to instead lie positively by building themselves up.
The author takes a stance against self-loathing, framing it as an undesirable habit that should be reversed through deliberate self-affirmation and appreciation.

Self-Esteem Humor

Get On The Love Bus

How to kiss your own ass

Changing how you see yourself is The Next Big Thing. Nobody’s doing it, but everybody should. Everybody is stuck in the Woe is Me Era. That’s so 2020. Get on the bus, peeps. Self-love is in the air.

In my youth, there was a bus I would occasionally happen upon, called The Love Bus. It was a regular bus that took you downtown, but it transported the passengers with love. The bus driver was blissfully joyous. The bus was decorated with streamers and hearts. Calypso music bounced off the walls and floated out the windows. Everyone on The Love Bus looked like they were on their way to a utopic destination, feeling lucky that The Love Bus was taking them there.

I think of The Love Bus when I think about how we look at ourselves in the mirror. The bus wasn’t magical, but it altered your point of view. ‘Must be a good day,’ you thought. ‘The Love Bus picked me up.’

Instead of looking in the mirror and counting your millions of oily pores, look in the mirror, like you’re on The Love Bus. Say to your reflection, “Good to be you.”

If you look in the mirror and see some loser schlub, who seems like you have nothing to brag about, fake it till you make it! That’s right, you heard me, lie to yourself.

What? You don’t want to lie to yourself? But, dah-link, you already are. You've been telling yourself you’re not worth a fly-on-shit, haven't you?

And that ain’t true. So freaky Friday that baloney sandwich. Turn that talking yourself down, all the way around. Get out your protector and 180 degree that self-loathing flotsam.

Still struggling? You been hating on yourself too long to quit it? I get it. Here’s a tip. Self-perception is about rewriting the script. Flip that narrative! The previous character you were playing looked in the mirror every morning and said, “Blech. Redo.”

But the writers came back from dinner break, rewrote your part, and gave your character a makeover. Your new self looks in the mirror and says, “Damn girl, where did you come from?”

You need to learn to kiss your own ass the way you’ve always kissed everyone else's ass. Turn your lips around to your own tush. You get me?

Still having trouble getting into character? Let me be your acting coach. Have a seat. Listen.

“Let’s say that person in the mirror has something you want. You gotta kiss her ass to get it.”

“Now, say you want that person in the mirror is some cool person you wanna hang with. You better butter her up. Compliment her hair. Laugh at her jokes.”

“Pretend that person in the mirror is someone you want to set up with your most successful amazing friend. Or maybe that person in the mirror is someone you’d want to spend every waking moment with. Time to kiss some ass. Time to lay on the thick compliments. Be shameless. Tell that mirror everything amazing about herself.”

Good news. You’re the person in the mirror.

Still can’t reach your lips to your own ass? Still think other people’s asses are more valuable and more sanitary than your own?

Dah-link! Sit with me. Put your head on my lap. Let me brush that beautiful hair. Let me soothe that gorgeous spirit. That person in the mirror is not your enemy. That person in the mirror is not even your frenemy. That person in the mirror is someone you only want the very best for.

If that person were a theater person, you'd sit in the front row of all their plays. If that person were a comedian, you’d take the heckler out back and knock’m upside the head. If that person were an athlete, you’d be cheering in the stands, shaking that big old #1 finger with their name on it.

Dah-link. Look at your reflection through my rose-colored glasses. Wear’m until your self-love burns a hole into your retinas. In the meantime, get on the damn Love Bus.