How we love is unique to each of us. It is that deep emotion that is difficult to explain yet so nourishing and healing. We may share our love freely or only express it when we feel safe. This feeling can leave us exhilarated and vulnerable, and when allowed to flow, it will raise the vibration and uplift everything within and around us.
We tend to find it easier to discuss if we “like” someone. Do we like the way they look, how they act, how they treat us, the tone of their voice, the house they live in? Our opinion of what we like and don’t like are a strong internal gauge. Turning inward, we also typically have strong opinions of liking ourselves. I like my smile. I don’t like my thighs. I like my perseverance. I don’t like my anger. On and on it goes.
What we love is a more discerning palate. Love is that deepest expression of how much we care for something that usually has much more weight than what we like. I love my dog. I love that song. I love my parents. I love you. When this love is reciprocated, it can deepen and enrich our connections. Feeling loved is a natural and powerful force in our lives. Do we stop to ask this important question: Do I love myself?
This answer may be more difficult to say, yet it’s a crucial one. Love can have so many facets to it, which sometimes mingle with what we like. Many of us tend to be so critical of ourselves that what we don’t like can somehow overpower any loving thoughts we could have. It can seem way easier to want love from other sources — family, friends, pets — to remind us that we are lovable. It is one way to measure value.
Ultimately, loving ourselves is the greatest challenge yet the greatest gift. Accepting “all of me,” including the likes and don’t likes, is what frees us of the burdens we place on ourselves. What would it feel like to accept love from yourself? If we work on forgiving ourselves for our infractions, we are free to flourish inside. In the end. we all love others more deeply just by giving that same amount to ourselves.
So wrap your arms tightly around your body and squeeze while saying a sincere “I love you.” Accept it with gratitude because you are worthy of your love just as much as the others you give it to.
Action:
Stand in front of a mirror and stare into your own eyes for five minutes. Take the full time and allow yourself to smile in the reflection. How do you feel about what you see? Is it easy or difficult to do this? While you stare, continue to say “I love you” into those eyes. You can continue this daily until you feel a positive shift in how you feel about yourself. That person standing in the mirror deserves your love. It’s time to accept it.
Photo by Engin Akyurt from Pexels
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