Love You. First.
Feb 05, 2022
You've probably heard people say that you can't really love others until you love yourself. Well, I think that's bullshit.
Think about it: why wouldn't you be able to love someone or something else when you're not as quick to shower love on yourself? What that really says is self-love is a prerequisite to love of others.
Here's what I find to be the error in that wisdom. In my opinion, women typically have an easier time finding the good in others than they do in themselves. Women typically extend grace and love to others quicker than they will extend the same courtesies to themselves.
Nevertheless, I think a focus on self-love is important to level-up your life and step into the roles you want to fill, and to become the woman you are hoping be. So let's take a couple minutes, and think about ourselves.
How do you feel about yourself when you are by yourself?
When there are no outside distractions.
When it's stripped down to just you with your thoughts.
Just you, and your mind and your body.
Do you love yourself? Do you like yourself?
It's okay to want to make changes in your life. To keep growing and learning and working on yourself. To become a better you.
But I'm telling you that you have to love the person you are now. Just the way you are. And you also need to like yourself. Just the way you are.
Embrace the beautiful, strong, smart woman you are now.
Appreciate all of the life experiences that have made you who you are today.
Give yourself the grace you extend so freely to others.
Love yourself. Now. Just the way you are.
Like yourself. Now. Just the way you are.
Because you're beautiful and smart and strong and capable. Now. Just the way you are. Failures and scars and flabby thighs and all.
Valentine's Day is next weekend, so there will be all sorts of chocolate, flowers, stuffed bears in red t-shirts, store-bought cards, and all.the.hearts.candy. In my opinion, you shouldn't wait until February 14 to share and celebrate love. Instead, you should be expressing love for the most people in your life every day.
That includes yourself. You need to love yourself every day.
Look in the mirror and see beauty in your face and smile. Look past the wrinkles and the age spots. Those laugh lines represent wonderful memories and past smiles. Those eye lines represent age and growth and wisdom. Your face is BEAUTIFUL, and it deserves to be loved by you despite the wrinkles.
Look in the mirror and see beauty in your body. Look past the tiger stripes and the cellulite to see and appreciate and love the amazing-ness of your body. Maybe you carried children in that soft belly. Maybe you ran a marathon on those strong legs. Maybe you held and comforted a loved one during their last moments in those flabby arms. Your body is INCREDIBLE, and it deserves to be loved, regardless of the size of your jeans and the body fat and the saddle bags and the cellulite.
Look in the mirror and see the wonder in your soul. Celebrate the journey of knowing yourself and being comfortable with yourself. Know that everything in your past -- the pain and hardship, the laughter and achievement, the hard parts no one else knows about, the thoughts you're too ashamed to share, the good and the bad -- has made you who you are today. You aren't yet who you are becoming, but you should celebrate and love all that you already are. You soul is WONDERFUL and WORTHY, and it deserves to be loved, even the hard parts.
There is so much love and light and goodness in your heart. While you're showering compliments and grace and love on others, don't forget to give some to yourself, too.
Love you. First.
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