To love
yourself means to accept yourself as you are and to come to terms
with those aspects of yourself that you cannot change. It means to
have high self-esteem, self-respect and a positive self-image.
Needless
to say, it does not mean being arrogant, conceited or thinking that
you are better than anyone else. It means having a healthy regard for
yourself knowing that you are a worthy human being.
It is important to remind ourselves that no one is perfect. We all
have strengths and weaknesses and we certainly possess the resources
to work on improving ourselves.
Each of us is unique and has specific talents and abilities to
offer. We are all here, in the words of Walt Whitman, "to
contribute a verse".
In order to appreciate yourself it is up to you to discover what makes
you unique
and to further develop those talents. We have a responsibility to
ourselves to do so.
You cannot sit around and wait for approval from others. Work on accepting
yourself. You are the only "you" that you have. It is in
your best interests to be the best you can be.
Until you love yourself, you will not be able to love anyone else.
You can only love another to the degree that you do yourself.
How do you love yourself?
You do so by investing
in and working on your personal growth and development. You work
on being the best you.
When you love yourself you automatically take care of yourself
physically, mentally and emotionally. You take care to look and feel
your best by nurturing your body, mind and spirit.
Conversely, if you don't love yourself enough, start taking
care of your body, mind, and spirit. You will not only become more
self-aware, you will generate feelings of worth and accomplishment.
Your Body
You take
care of your body by eating well, exercising and getting plenty of
rest. There are many wonderful books available that can help you learn
what types
of food and exercise are good for you and your particular body
type.
Your
Mind
Your mind needs nourishment and exercise too. Don't take it for
granted. Stimulate it by learning about new and interesting things.
Keeping your mind active helps prevent certain old age diseases such
as Alzheimer's and dementia. Keeping the neural connections of your
mind active helps maintain memory and brain
functions at optimum levels.
Your Spirit
If you take care of your mind and body but neglect your spirit, you
will lack balance
and feel that something is missing in your life. Taking care of your
spirit rejuvenates you, and helps you deal with the daily stresses and
challenges of everyday life.
When you love yourself, you invest in your personal growth and
development. You endeavor to be the best that you can be, and you
strive to achieve your potential.
For more information about how to love yourself here's a website
that deals with Relationship
with Yourself.