Day 477 ~ Do You Love Yourself?

Do you love yourself?  Do you like who you are? ... what you represent? ... what you stand for? what you've accomplished? 

John Lennon once said that "we need to learn to love ourselves first...".  It is also said that "for others to love you,  you must first love yourself."  Along with this, "you must respect yourself, before others will respect you."

In my healing journey I have searched and searched for answers to these questions... do I, love myself? ... do I like myself? ... do I respect myself?

The first question that was the easiest for me to answer was if I respected myself.  Although I have had quite a few low moments in my life, the respect I have for myself has helped me lift myself up {if that makes any sense}.  So my answer is a BIG fat YES!  Respect for myself has never been an issue.

Loving myself has always been tough for me though.  Having a father who constantly put me down has always made it very difficult for me to have good healthy self esteem.  Then the fact that I went from the frying pan and landed right into the fire with the father of my sons...  you know how they say that women often marry men that remind them of or are like their fathers... yup!... I did that too!  So "it" continued.

Needless to say that the questions "do I love myself" and or "how do I love myself?" both have haunted me for a very long, long time.  I guess it is the admitting it or saying it out-loud is the difficult part. 

My friend said some interesting things to me at the beginning of the week that really helped me put these questions into perspective and cleared some of this up for me.

She started of by telling me that it broke her heart to know how sad I had been feeling and said something to the effect that "...when you love who you are, love what you are made of and what you believe in... what others say or do to you does not affect you because you know who you are and what's in your heart..."

I stewed on Kristen's words for a few days... I kept replaying her words over and over again... boy did I ever give it some thought.

"Do you like who I am?"  

Yes.  After a few moments of pondering there was no question about it.  I do like who I am.  

"Do I like what I represent?"

Yes.  I am a good person.  I love helping others, and will even go out of my way to do so too.  {and} I really, really like this about myself.  

"Do I like what I stand for?"

Yes.  Although I have struggled many, many times in my life and the fact that I have managed to keep above water... it wasn't easy- but I did it!  I never gave up!  Going through those struggles planted a seed in me to help others... I love the feeling I get from helping.  {And} most importantly letting them know that they are not alone and have a friend.

"Do I like what I have accomplished?"

Even though I am not done with my special project for "the" BIG REVEAL (less than 17 days and counting,) I would have to answer this one with a HUGE YES!  I have two handsome sons and a beautiful daughter.  I have a wonderful husband and three awesome dogs!  We have a roof over our heads, food on our table, with many, many good things ahead of lying ahead.  

SO... for the first time in my life I can answer this question with a HUMONGOUS
YES!

The man replied, “The Scriptures say, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind." They also say, "Love your neighbors as much as you love yourself.” ~Luke 10:27

[here's to you finding your... ]

Peace...

I am second..

... for a, l & c.  You are my sunshine(s).  

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