But also importantly to be able to receive love from others and be open to love – because we think we’re lovable. We look at how childhood trauma can impact you as an adult, leading to persistent feelings of loneliness. Noticing my feelings and journaling sounds like a lot of work. Ill take a break and focus on myself after Ive taken care of my family. It may only be then that you’ll start to believe it. As I mentioned earlier, the actions we take to show ourselves that we love ourselves are key.
Trying taking a moment each day to notice these. Or, start a gratitude journal to keep track of them. Loving kindness meditation is a good way to get more comfortable with feeling love for yourself and others.
In therapy, I focus on how your relationships are a direct result of your magnitude of self-love. Understanding your worth and value as a person prevents you from ever settling from less than you deserve in any relationship. Allow me to show you how and help you through this journey of empowerment and happiness. Most times, lack in these areas result from a lack of self-love.
For every part of myself that I’ve decided to accept over the years, I’ve felt the pressure of other people’s opinions fall away. It’s like shedding layers of clothes… or bricks in a backpack on my shoulders… and I feel so much lighter with every outside expectation I manage to release. This is one of my favorite reasons to love yourself. All of this said, I also know that for many of us, loving other people feels natural. It’s what we were raised to do, and it feels GOOD, as it should! Instead, you’ll have cultivated a kinder, more self-forgiving feeling of wholeness.
You eat better and sleep and exercise more because you realize that taking care of your mental and physical well-being are essential to your success. When you look better you feel better, and when you feel better, you do better. Self-love is taking the time out to figure out who you are and Why it’s important to love YOUR SELF what you want. Once you know this you are able to have honest conversations with anyone and everyone. You understand that being upfront about how you feel and what you believe can only improve your relationships with others. You have standards and are comfortable getting rid of anyone who can't rise up to them.
As we have all experienced, love isn’t always equal. When you want to express your affection to someone, you take a small piece of that light and hand it to that person. With every coffee you buy for a stranger, listen to a friend when they feel down, or lend them one of your favorite books, you are giving them a piece of your light. It is unlimited, so you need not do anything replenish it. Without loving yourself, it is hard to be completely selfless in a relationship with anyone.
Notice whether you have more energy, or if you are able to be more present with others. You might start to feel like you are more in charge of the choices you make, and that you have more control of your life. A boundary is a protection of sorts; when we establish and enforce a boundary, we protect ourselves. Think of the people in your life about whom you feel protective. You know that part of the reason you work to protect them is that you love them. Protecting ourselves in healthy ways, through selected boundaries, is showing ourselves, love.
Only when we start accepting the past can we then move forward into the future. I led a carefree life and didn’t have a care in the world of what others think of me. You are the main focus – It all starts with you and ends with you. You’re going to be with yourself for eternity.
Every human is at the center of relationships with family, friends, co-workers and community members. I don’t believe that we can reach our potential if we give to others but do not take care of ourselves. I also don’t believe we can be genuinely compassionate if we are beating ourselves up because we’re not perfect. The day I surrendered to self-love and let go the idolization of perfection.