2-26-24 I was recently teaching a class on self-love. As soon as I mentioned the word you could feel a drop of energy in the room. As if it was something to be dreaded, something difficult and overwhelming. The consensus seemed to be: “I want more of it … but…” A multitude of reasons and excuses came forth as to why folks couldn’t or didn’t give themselves more love. Topping the list was “feeling undeserving”, with “it feels selfish” coming in a close second. Even when people believed in it, they realized they didn’t indulge in it more often because it just wasn’t a habit. Hmmmmm.

That non-deserving belief, which I have experienced often, is simply utter bullshit!!! Yes, it is true I make mistakes and I don’t always act and speak in a loving manner. Even so, there is nothing I could ever say or do; there is nothing I “should have” said or done but didn’t, that is a good reason to withhold love, compassion, kindness, or respect from myself. I am human and that’s what humans sometimes do.

We are all human and we will continue to forget our intentions to reside in our hearts and be an instrument of Love, especially to ourselves. It’s OK to forget…and it’s especially OK to show ourselves compassion for that forgetting.  We ALL deserve to love ourselves (and let others love us, too, for that matter) and there is absolutely no exceptions to this. I would recommend re-reading the paragraph above to yourself right now, and again, and again whenever you need to.

Showering myself in compassion when I slip out of my true nature (that knows only Love) is one of the best acts of self-love I can do. Other things I do for myself involve carving out some time in the day, or at least in the week, to do something fun – adventurous – nurturing – peaceful – inspiring for myself. I get to pick what that looks like each time.

If you’re like me, you’re a person who has a big heart and cares about others and that usually plays out as doing for others. But a good question to ask yourself is why would you give ALL your time away? Even having a young child to take care of, or a business to run, I always made sure to carve out some “me” time. There’s an old adage that our actions speak louder than words. Even as I told my daughter, Ari how special and important she was, it was even more powerful to demonstrate the truth of it by valuing my own worth enough to spend time on me.

 I have learned that self-love begins with self-inquiry, in order to become more aware of what I’m thinking and feeling. So…what’s the kindest thing you can say to yourself right now? What’s the most loving way you can go through each day, not just for those around you, but for yourself? Today is a good day...and I make it so!