I was very inspired by Spiritualjourney17 (follow the link to see her original post!)

Learning to Love Ourselves…

This has got to be THE most difficult relationship of all! We’ve all heard of loving ourselves but when we turn the magnifying glass inwards, don’t we just cringe at the thought of saying “I love you” to ourselves?

I know I did! Years of harsh criticism and abuse from people had honed me into a self-loathing machine! It was very difficult for me to reach a point of truly being able to love myself!

First, I started by learning to accept myself.

That alone was super difficult! I had to do it in stages… Letting myself know that it was okay to be me, at this stage in life… That who we are isn’t set in stone!

Maya Angelou’s quote (and many other inspiring quotes) helped me find the strength to give myself permission to be imperfect: “I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better.”

Learning to accept and love ourselves is an incremental process!

As we start on the path, we start by noticing the things we are doing well at, and that gives us the confidence to continue!

Self-love isn’t the narcissistic kind of love that puts ourselves ahead of everyone, it’s the kind of love that no longer accepts that we are placed BEHIND everyone!

Start with baby steps and get a little comfortable with that, then add a little more!

Here are some examples:

Instead of saying “I’ll exercise when I have a good body to show off” flip the script: “I get to exercise so I can get stronger!”

Instead of saying “Ugh! Salad/vegetables with my meal!” Flip the script “adding healthy foods helps me to feel better and is good for my heart!”

Instead of saying “I can’t live without my cigarettes/alcohol/drugs” flip the script “I’m ABLE to live without those crutches I USED to need! I CHOOSE to be healthier for ME!”

Criticism and abuse send us scurrying into the arms of self-destructive behavior as solace. Then, when we are dependent on those behaviors to get through our days, we beat ourselves up for being “weak” or “fat” or “an addict”!

Doesn’t this look like a self-perpetuating cycle that keeps us immobile and brings on depression?

We all have the power within us to change the patterns and to break free!

We just don’t know we have the strength because those habits have locked us into a warped house of mirrors where we see the grotesque and can’t see beauty.

Like I said, baby steps! When we start making little changes, those warped mirrors start to be removed, and gradually are replaced with fresh open air, with a mindset that becomes more kind and loving to ourselves!

Be kind to yourself! Take care of yourself! You are an awesome person who is learning, healing, and growing!

Peace to you! Tamara

Remember what Maya Angelou said?

“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better!” 

More:

• The more you extend kindness to yourself, the more it will become your automatic response to others.
• Challenge: When a negative thought enters your mind, think three positive ones. Train yourself to flip the script!
• As you think so shall you be!
• Even after a setback or negative experience, we can create a “reset” button in our minds!
• Turning Poison into Medicine
• Your triggers are your teachers
• Change the tapes!
• Baby steps serve a purpose to allow us to keep moving forward!
• Baby steps start the whole change happening!
• Teach ourselves to feel positive in order to see more positive things in our lives!!
• Red Ocean or Blue Ocean? How do you think?
• You must learn a new way to think before you can master a new way to be.
• Change how you see and see how you change.
• Make yourself strong!
• WARNING: This post may be triggering! Instead of getting defensive, say, “Thanks for letting me know your thoughts. I’ll consider them.”
• It’s never too late to teach ourselves!
• Don’t speak negatively about yourself!!
• Where do you start when you don’t know where to start?
• Generational curses: are they breakable?
• Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it!
• Revenge: is it necessary or not?
• Mindfulness Resources

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Blessings!
Thank you for sharing this post and for following me!
Tamara

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