We hear a lot of “love yourself” but what does it mean exactly?
It doesn’t mean that you are better, smarter or more important than others. It doesn’t mean to only think about yourself.
To love yourself means to accept and value who you are. Everything that came into shaping and defining the unique individual you are. A lot of which you had no control over. Such as when and where you were born, your background, your family, genetics, culture, education, and after that relationships you’ve had, everything that nourished and shaped your thoughts and feelings, books you’ve read, movies you’ve watched, music you’ve listened to, trips you’ve made etc. No two people are alike.
Loving yourself means to accept you are not perfect and recognize who you are now and be truthful on that, don’t lie to yourself. Embrace all that is beautiful in you as well as your quirks and imperfections, complexities, paradoxes. Loving yourself is to feel good in your own skin and keep trying to be the best version of you and not needing to measure up to some meaningless superficial standards and keep comparing yourself to others to be happy. Change what you can change about yourself and find peace with what you can’t change.
Let’s face it, there is no other choice, we all get drawn a hand and we do the best with the cards we were dealt. Sure some got an easy ride by winning that genetic lottery. Simply because where and when they were born. Others not so much but they can still manage to have a fulfilling and meaningful life even if it won’t be an easy one.
Loving yourself is to accept your reality and never let yourself down. It is to remain humble and grateful for what you have. Once you love yourself then you can spread it around. You become a force of nature. Your energy shines a light and you make a big difference in everything you do and everyone who crosses your path.
Check out this guy’s story for true inspiration.This video was aired in 2008
This is him 11 years later.
