Jamie Otis recalls 'vulnerable' childhood and reflects on journey to self-love

Jamie Otis is getting "vulnerable."

In a powerful Instagram reel on Thursday, the "Married At First Sight" star encouraged her fans to find self-love from within. She paired the video with a detailed caption reflecting on her tumultuous childhood and the impact it had on her perception of love.

Otis shared her best piece of advice on her podcast, "Hot Marriage Cool Parents," saying, "Just stop and let yourself know that you can take a break. You have permission to love yourself. And don't go out and try to find someone to give you that permission. Don't go out and try to find someone to love you the way that you are so desperately trying to be loved. Learn to love yourself like that."

She encouraged her listeners to connect with their inner child, saying, "And just love that child."

Alongside the empowering clip, the 37-year-old shared her own struggles on her journey to self-love, attributing some of it to her family dynamic during childhood.

"Feeling vulnerable here," she began. "I never got to know who my father was while growing up. I found out after I had my daughter but it was too late. He had just passed away two or three months prior."

"My mom had no support system so she leaned on drugs to cope," the mom-of-two continued.

Otis confessed that for as long as she can remember, she has felt "less than," "unlovable," and desperate to be liked by others.

"This carried into work too," she penned. "I'd work tirelessly to keep my bosses happy. I found my worth in working."

Otis detailed her relentless pursuit of external validation in her professional life, revealing, "It's always been hard for me to say 'no' or take a break from work."

After nearly four decades, Otis said she realized, "No one else could fulfill it the way I could if i just learned how to love myself."

Fans praised Otis' honesty in the comments.

"Thank you so much for your realness. Your authenticity is a powerful thing," an Instagram user wrote.

"This is so powerful," another chimed in.

"Love your open honesty," someone else commented.

"This is beautiful," added another fan.

In September, Otis shared another personal message with her Instagram followers about her relationship with her mother, writing, "It took me having my baby girl before I fully began appreciating all that my mom did for me."

"I was very bitter towards my mom for a long, long time. I couldn't understand why she made some of the choices she made in life," she admitted.

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