You remember the song by Crosby, Stills and Nash, “Love the One You’re With?” Well, I believe it’s impossible to do that unless you love the one you’re always with — and that is YOU. It makes it truly hard to love someone else, when you don’t feel lovable or capable of being loved.
You would think that baby boomers would be past the insecurities and low self-esteem of their youth and be able to feel confident in their own skin. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. After all, you can lose your job, be insulted, have a failed marriage and feel inadequate just like everyone else and it doesn’t matter that you’re older feeling that way.
Let’s find out how you can truly love yourself.
1. You don’t have to be tall, thin and beautiful to feel beautiful. There are plenty of average looking women and men who feel comfortable with whom they are and are able to exude an air of satisfaction, confidence and esteem when they walk into a room. You know them, because you are attracted to their energy. Are you that person? If not, decide to be one, because what’s most important is how you present yourself to the world, not how you think you look.
2. Be the best person you can be – to your friends, to your partner, to family members, co-workers and acquaintances. In other words, are you sincere, friendly, authentic and a person of integrity? If you are, you can feel proud of yourself, because people are looking for that and that should make you feel good.
3. Ask yourself if you would be attracted to someone just like you. If not, examine what you don’t like about yourself and find out why. Then turn into the person you would most like to have as a friend.
4. Be kinder and gentler to yourself. Acknowledge the effort you put into things, even if the results are not always what you want. The fact that you try is a great asset. It also builds confidence that you can make important changes towards your desired goals and shows you are a person who doesn’t give in easily.
5. Spend time being more peaceful, compassionate, spiritual and aware. You will naturally love yourself in the process.
6. Pay attention to your health because that means you care enough about yourself to be mindful and concerned.
The bottom like is this: However you look, whatever you say and whatever you do is reflecting your authentic self and is the perfect YOU. Virginia Satir says, “I own me, and therefore, I can engineer me. I am me and I am Okay.”
Throughout the day, do you ask yourself what you can do to enhance your well-being? Probably not, since most people will think it selfish and self-centered. The problem with that kind of thinking is that when you love and care for yourself, it inevitably helps everyone around you and positively impacts your world.