Gaze affectionately into the mirror and repeat, “You are so beautiful. You are so wonderful. I love you so.” Is that self-love? No, that’s narcissism and a psychoanalyst will put you on the couch for that. Besides, you know what happened to Narcissus, don’t you? The beautiful Greek youth gazed at his refection in a pool, pined away, and was changed into the flower that bears his name. The psychological term, narcissism, describing a neurotic obsession with one’s own person is derived from that story.
- When we love ourselves we appreciate our uniqueness.
- We give up the unfulfilling quest for perfection by accepting our limitations.
- We learn something new each day.
- We work on improving our personality and character.
- We allow our feelings to sparkle with goodwill.
- We laugh often and loudly.
- We feel the joy of daily experiences.
- We fulfill our need for affection and tenderness and bring delight into relationships.
- We cultivate spiritual awareness of the omniscient, omnipresent God who is the source of all love.
If you have difficulty loving yourself, understand that God loves you anyway. God wants the best for you. There’s nothing you can do to escape the compassionate, forgiving and accepting love of God. Studying scriptures regularly will help you understand the heart and mind of God. Comprehending God’s incredible love for you will enable you to love yourself.
