Love and happiness begin with the inner you. You have to love yourself before you can experience true love and real satisfaction with life. Just like Michael said, the best place to start on the journey toward a life of peace and contentment, is with the person in the mirror. Instead of trying to find love it in everyone else and in every other place, why not take the steps to find it inside of yourself first?
The real you may have some things that you contend with that might make you feel like you will never find the love that you so desire and are looking for. The connection that you want from others cannot truly happen until you have solidified that connection within yourself. Believe it or not, other people can often tell whether or not you love yourself. Unfortunately, some people even prey on people who don’t love themselves, because they know that those people are often very vulnerable and easy to manipulate. But, that does not have to be you!
Love Yourself First
Take a chance on you! Start looking for love in the mirror. Here are a few ways to love yourself first and always…
Appreciate Your Own Beauty
Recognize your own beauty. Many times, we are quick to find the pretty parts of others while neglecting our own unique and amazing features. We all have something to bask in and appreciate when we look in the mirror. Whether it’s the fullness of your lips that make the perfect pout or those high cheekbones that you inherited from an ancestor who is long gone, cherish it!
Look at yourself without makeup. Learn to appreciate the real you and learn that make up is for “enhancing”, and that underneath that makeup, there is a woman who is fabulous in her natural state. Tell yourself that you look good with or without makeup!
Have Fun Falling In Love With Yourself
Take selfies! Yes, it might sound corny, but when we pose and smile at ourselves, we are actually learning to fall in love with that person that we see looking back at us.
Don’t look for others to validate you. What if no one ever told you that you were pretty, would it mean that you are not beautiful in your own right? Of course not! Get dressed for you! It’s nice if you get attention, if you want it. But, don’t let “attention” be your barometer for your level of “diva-tude”. If you feel like you look great, then you will love yourself from the inside out.
You Have Plenty To Offer
Remember to recognize all of your accomplishments. When we achieve things, we can celebrate our ability, perseverance, and overall greatness. Knowing that you CAN do and that you are PROVEN can make you love what you have to offer, and love who you see in the mirror.
Don’t Let Weight Weigh Your Self Love Down
Weight can sometimes weigh heavy on our self-esteem. For some, it’s that they don’t have enough weight or enough “assets” to feel as attractive as they would like. For others, they feel like they have too much. Well, when it comes to weight, you need to keep it in perspective. Things that you can control, such as healthy eating and exercise, work to control them. Recognize that those things that you cannot control such as getting bigger parts or curves in just the “right” places, are your subconscious attempt to compare yourself to others. You don’t want to do that. You could end up creating an “ideal” that is not realistic for you or your body type. That doesn’t mean that you can’t or don’t have an amazing body. It just means that YOU need to learn how to love yourself, according to who you are and not who you are not.
Always Believe That You Are Enough
Beyond all of this, the key to truly loving yourself and finding true happiness is to know, without a doubt, that YOU ARE ENOUGH! Yes, you! You, all by yourself, with everything that makes you unique and an individual, are a complete and perfect package! Affirm your wonderfulness daily. Compliment your loveliness from head to toe. Believe that the person who is looking back at you, in that mirror, lives a life of purpose. Know that regardless of who says it or not, you are WORTH LOVING because you are absolutely PERFECTLY YOU! So, love yourself first and all of the goodness that comes with that is sure to follow.
