It’s an amazing thing to watch your life change, as you truly love yourself. We always think that we love ourselves, until the day that we realize we really do. Things that worked before no longer work, friends that we thought we couldn’t live without, we realize we aren’t as dependent on, and we realize that we are truly comfortable in the space we’re in.
Self-love and Self-respect these are interesting terms that not everyone understands or applies. We are taught to love others, to do for others, to give to others, but in all of that giving no one ever really teaches us how to truly love ourselves. As children, we are taught to share, and to not be selfish. We are told that all of this giving will make us good people, and most of us spend our lives trying to be the people we have been taught to be. But, many times we focus so much on others that we forget to focus on ourselves.
In the course of all this loving, sharing, and giving to everyone else are we are never really thought how to love ourselves, which can make us vulnerable to those who try to take advantage of our kindness, or as they say “Those who mistake our kindness for weakness.” Self-love isn’t about being selfish. Self-love is honoring you, your beliefs, and making sure you take care of you. In the course of all that teaching of kindness, we’re never taught that.
We have to remember everyone wants what they want, and sometimes without thinking about how their wants might affect others. But, if you are clear about who you are and your needs, then you can generously give to other without ever neglecting yourself.
Are you taking care of you?
Love and blessings in divine order,
Stacye
From the book “It’s All In How You Look AT It (thoughts and questions about love and relationships)