Do you love yourself as much as God does? Does loving yourself sound selfish to you?
Picking individual petals off of a daisy counting off, “Love me, love me not” is a silly little game we used to play as children to determine if some “heart-throb” of the week, did indeed “love me”! A more important question today is not whether someone else loves me; is do I love myself.
Tomorrow, Feb. 14th is Valentine’s Day, the traditional day for chocolates, champagne, and little love notes. It is the day set aside to show someone special that we care.
Some of us have advanced degrees in caring for others. Oftentimes at the personal expense of NOT caring for ourselves.
Some might even consider loving yourself selfish. The word “selfish” suffers from a bad connotation, but in reality it’s a “must” for healthy living. Be selfish with your time, your energy and your concern.
Be greedy with your precious hours – limit the energy spent on email, texts, and phone calls. Take care of yourself, not just enjoying an occasional message, but carve out daily time for exercise, meditation, or whatever feeds your physical and emotional health. You need time to renew, refresh, and reconnect.
Relationships can also rob you of your well being. Keep an eye on your circle of “friends”. Certain relationships can drain the energy right out your very being. Clean out the psychic “junk drawer” and encircle yourself with only those people that nourish and support you with “no guilt”.
When working to increase self-love, remember these 3 things:
Remember that you are a special child of the universe. You are no different from the stars in the sky and the lilies in the meadows. All the beauty, power, and brightness found in our meticulously created world is found in you.
Affirmation: I am Divinely guarded, guided, and gifted.
Remember that your value and worth are inherent. Your worthiness is not dependent of what others think of you. Besides, what others think of you is none of your business.
Affirmation: My value and self worth are inherent. I am not defined by the opinion of others.
Remember forgiveness is the key to life. Forgiveness begins within. You must first forgive yourself for your “missteps” before you can forgive and love others.
Affirmation: All loving God forgives me and I forgive myself.
Remember the flight attendant’s admonition: If the aircraft loses altitude the oxygen masks will come down: PUT YOUR OWN MASK ON FIRST AND THEN TAKE CARE OF YOUR CHILDREN!
Learn to love yourself first, and then you will have something special to share with others.
February Challenge: Do something each day just for yourself. Learn the art of self-love.
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