Do you remember your first love? I do.
I was in my twenties. I thought I had found love before, but it wasn't that unconditional fairy tale love that Disney prepares all little princesses for. I had known this person forever, but I didn't always like them. Oddly enough, as I learned more and more about my love, this attraction developed. Feelings that I never experienced were ignited. Smiles that I had never even seen were formed. Impulsive decisions that I would once make, now I would consider my love and the impact it would have. Little things that once annoyed me were now okay. Hanging out and doing nothing with my love became my favorite thing to do. I would write little love notes and plan special dates. I tried to keep this love affair a secret, but it was written all over my face. One day I looked in the mirror and realized I had fallen in love with myself.
“A loving person lives in a loving world. A hostile person lives in a hostile world. Everyone you meet is your mirror.”
I don’t want to portray that I didn’t fully like myself prior to this or even that I had poor self-esteem. I just didn’t love myself fully. People are conditioned to say “yes, I like myself,” or even “of course I love myself.” However their actions scream a different response. I thought I loved myself. I was confident. I knew I was beautiful. Hunay, you couldn’t tell me I wasn’t cute. I was beautiful on the outside and frumpy on the inside. When I learned to truly love myself and put the same efforts into loving myself as I would another person, I blossomed. Just as a caterpillar emerging from its cocoon into a beautiful butterfly. I had a new glow. I looked in the mirror and suddenly, I was the most gorgeous I have ever looked. My smile was radiating and my aura cascading. Just being around me was a different experience.
“Loving yourself…does not mean being self-absorbed or narcissistic, or disregarding others. Rather it means welcoming yourself as the most honored guest in your own heart, a guest worthy of respect, a lovable companion.”
Others may mistake this self-love as conceit or narcissism, but that’s so far-fetched. Self-love should exert the same nurturing energy and attention as we exert for our children, mates, families, and friends.
Society screams that we should love ourselves, but how? There aren't classes in school for emotional development. Society does not teach us to love ourselves, but merely loathe ourselves. I'm going to list a few ways to help you love yourself more.
Ways to make love to yourself more
1. Forgive yourself.
2. Forgive others.
3. Stop criticizing yourself from today forward.
4. Take responsibility for your actions and decisions.
5. Be kind to yourself.
6. Respect yourself.
7. Write love letters to yourself describing the things you love about yourself.
8. Accept compliments from others.
9. Accept yourself as you are today.
10. Replace negative thoughts with positive affirmations.
11. Celebrate your accomplishments, even the small ones.
Usually I go in details, but I want this to resonate, as it takes time. Even if you just re-read the list a few times to get it into your subconscious, will be one step toward your euphoria.