You may have seen him as Xander in The Idol, old time friend and Creative Director of Jocelyn. Australian heart-throb Troye Sivan has been in movies and music from way back, from playing the younger Wolverine in X-men, Origins in 2009, and coming out with his first hit single, ‘Happy Little Pill’ in 2014.
Sivan has always be transparent about his ups and downs in life, and mental health. Recently, he shared about how he overcomes poor self-esteem, break-ups and fears of the future.
Image taken from Instagram: @troyesivan
Beauty comes from within
“[Beauty] should be about taking what you’ve got, running with it, and showing it off”, Sivan shared in an interview with highsnobiety.
Ever had the experience where you got complimented about the very thing you were insecure about?
For Troye, it’s the person behind the insecurity that’s beautiful and important. The young artist shared his tactic for combatting low self-esteem with highsnobiety. He simply asks himself two questions: “Who am I surrounding myself with?” and “Why am I feeling this way?”
Someone who has your best interests at heart and who truly cares for you would never put you down based on your weakness and insecurities.
“I always, always compliment someone if I can tell that they’ve done a thing – they’re wearing blue mascara, or something. It’s scary to try something new while expressing yourself. And if I see it in someone, I’ll always compliment them.”
But loving yourself during bad hair days is easier said than done. It’s perfectly normal to have parts of ourselves we prefer over others too. But, based on what Sivan proclaims, beauty is in everyone. Loving yourself is a personal matter of self-acceptance and does not depend so much on others’ voices!
Image taken from Instagram: @troyesivan
Healing from a broken heart
Losing someone you truly care about is one of the worst feelings ever. Whether that is a loss of a friend, a loved one, or even a pet – all forms of loss are deep and valid.
Forming relationships may be the last thing on your mind during this grieving period. But things started to shift for Sivan when he tried to heal and find his footing after his break up.
“I started to get crushes and realised that I wasn’t emotionally dead,” Troye shared with GQ Magazine.
Sivan realised that loving someone shows us that we are capable of caring deeply about another being. Expressing your love and grief through healthy ways is how you can slowly heal and come back from it.
Instead of trying to hurt in solitude, as comforting as that may be at the start, try talking to someone you trust. Maybe even revisit old hobbies, or engaging the services of a therapist.
Just like what Sivan said, being vulnerable shows that we are not “emotionally dead”. So don’t be afraid of being in your feelings!
Image taken from Instagram: @troyesivan
Feeling hopeful for the future
“There was a sense of hope and newness and meeting new people”, Sivan shared in an interview with Elle.
Despite going through heartaches, self-doubt, and navigating the world of stardom, Sivan maintained a steady focus on each passing day and the hope that it brings.
“I have no idea what the future holds and that is totally okay. I’m so happy to just be in this moment right now with this person that I just met five minutes ago… or my best friends… or whatever. I felt a really strong sense of humanity and connection and that was very inspiring to me.”
We may worry about the future or obsess over “what ifs”, but that can’t change anything. We only have power to change today, so take a breath and remember to live in the moment.
Surrounding yourself with inspiring people who lift you up and things that make you happy during tough times can make this easier.
Image taken from Instagram: @troyesivan
Here are some tips for your healing journey:
Dealing with suicidal thoughts
If you have any thoughts of ending you life, please get help immediately.
