Love yourself always

We constantly look for ways to make ourselves happier, more secure and free...however, we rarely find what we are looking for. Where do we search? Do we go inside or outside for answers? 

I truly believe that there is one thing that could change everything, that could heal us and heal the world. The answer is simple - LOVE. If the answer is so easy, then why do we often struggle in our lives and why isn’t the world a fairytale?  

It is the understanding, the willing and the implementation that seems to be very difficult.  

The main problem is that we do not realise who, and how powerful, we really are and therefore we tend to look for happiness and for answers outside of us. We think that a holiday, a new car, a new partner or a plastic surgery will give us what we desire so that we will feel whole again. Even though we might be excited at the beginning, if we do not truly love ourselves, the feeling of lack will always come back. 

Do you love yourself? Can you look yourself in a mirror and tell yourself “I love you” without faking it and without feeling stupid or guilty? I bet there wouldn’t be many people who could answer “Yes, I do” and really honestly mean it. What is it about love of self that seems to be almost a taboo? We are definitely not encouraged or taught how to love ourselves and how important self-love really is.  

I was raised in a Catholic faith and so for me personally love of self brought feelings of guilt, shame and judgment that I have had to work very hard to change. Your situation might be different, but the truth is that our beliefs are often shaped in our childhoods and there are still many people who do not question their beliefs that have been passed on by previous generations and solidified through traditions and customs.  

You might ask why it is important to love yourself as it surely should be enough to love others? I said it before in my blog posts – you cannot really love another person if you do not truly love yourself. I am not talking here about selfish love, but true, unconditional love, love that is always there whether you succeed or make mistakes.  

How can you give another something that you do not have for yourself? The love that we feel for others is the extension of the love that we feel inside.  

If we are not taught how to love ourselves, what can we do?  

Understanding of who we really are together with willingness, practice, honesty and perseverance is the answer.  

Do not be fooled into thinking that love can be bought, faked or borrowed. Waiting for others to love us so that we can love ourselves is not going to bring you the desired results either I am afraid.  

The great thing is that we do not have to go anywhere to find love. Love is who we really are, it is already in us, it is the true us. Why don’t we know it? Why do we look for it outside of us? We have been conditioned for years to concentrate on other things. We were often discouraged from loving ourselves, sometimes out of ignorance but mainly to prevent us from gaining confidence, from realising who we really are and the power that lies inside. All we need to do now is simply focus on what is within, on our Truth, on the voice of love.  

Does it sound scary? Can it bring up too many uncomfortable feelings? Would you rather stick with the familiar?  

The truth is that you do not need to do anything that you do not want to do. Nobody is going to make you fall in love with yourself and realise who you really are. Nobody is going to insist that you must be happy and healthy, feel safe and free. You can choose to be a victim and play small your whole life. And if you do decide to do that, please try to find some happiness in knowing that it was your decision and stop complaining. 

If on the other hand you want to love yourself, you want to feel empowered, joyful and healthy, you want to love others and make the world a better place, then start right now. Do not wait. Do not procrastinate. Make a decision to focus on love every day. Do your daily meditations and afterwards observe your thoughts, feelings, words and actions and change those that do not come from love. Do it every day. Find more and more reasons to be grateful, concentrate on the present moment, smile to others, be kind to yourself and enjoy your life.  

Are there thoughts in your head doubting whether loving yourself is going to bring any change? Is it even worth the effort? Answer yourself these questions: Are you happy? Are you fulfilled? Do you feel whole? If not, then working on loving yourself is the answer. Love is who you really are and so the more you align yourself with love, the more whole, happy and fulfilled you are going to feel. 

If you are not convinced whether loving yourself can change the world, please know that you are more powerful than you can imagine. We are not separate beings, all of us are one. When you change yourself, you change everything else. Can you imagine what our world would look like if everybody loved themselves and by extension loved others? Do you think there would be war and poverty or peace and prosperity?  

Change starts with you. You can change the world by changing yourself.  

Now is the time.  

Love yourself always. You are worth it, you deserve it! Love is who you really are💜