These days we see commercials on TV, read on magazine covers, and hear ads on the radio about the necessity of taking care of ourselves first. These messages suggest that if we don’t take the time to nurture and care for our self, we will quickly become depleted and rundown, having less to give to others.
The suggestions of what to do for ourselves sound lovely, like the following from FC Wellness Company Ltd. in 2014:
– Take a long, hot bath, add some essential oils
– Have a cup of herbal tea while doing nothing else
– Listen to or read uplifting literature
– Ask for what you need
– Practice deep breathing
– Exercise
– Surround yourself with positive people
But these suggestions are short-term solutions for a much BIGGER NEED. They are like putting pressure on a bleeding wound. Once we take the pressure off, the wound gushes blood once again.
Everyone’s BIG NEED is to feel loved, and wanting to have an impact on the world. To truly stop the bleeding, to get this BIG NEED met, is an inside job. Understanding who we really are, i.e. what feelings we have, dealing with them, learning to accept them, and moving on, is the road to self-love. Once we know and embrace how we like “being” in this world, we can relax more. Relaxing more can lead to acknowledging and accepting our feelings about things, people, and messages from our past. Soon self-love is waiting to happen!
I am suggesting self-love grows from the inside out. It does not occur outside of ourselves. And when we love ourselves, others are naturally affected. Our thoughts, words, and actions will mirror the love inside of us. As Bob Marley said, “Love the life you live. Live the life you love.”
