In Good Vibes, Good Life, Vex King emphasizes that true self-esteem comes from within. Throughout the book, King encourages readers to embrace their strengths, struggles, and unique beauty, and to challenge societal norms that dictate self-worth since true happiness comes from recognizing one’s inherent value. By reframing adversity as an opportunity for growth and rejecting superficial standards, King claims to provide a roadmap for cultivating unconditional and empowering self-love.

King argues that acceptance is fundamental to self-love. To truly love oneself, one must embrace not only blessings, but also struggles because hardships are essential catalysts for personal growth. King reflects that his own difficult experiences have been productive: “although some of them may have been painful, they’re a blessing—they’ve taught me so much and strengthened me with a drive to live a life of success, happiness and toward better things” (xiii). Readers should likewise stop viewing challenges as sources of shame or regret, and see them as stepping stones to self-discovery and resilience.

A key aspect of self-love involves appreciating one’s body. King promotes body positivity as an appreciation of one’s physical appearance and as a rejection of external validation as a measure of self-worth. Countering a culture that often imposes unrealistic beauty standards, King urges readers to cultivate self-esteem independent of others: “the size of your jeans doesn’t define you.