Self-love is the foundation upon which your life is built. There is no one living being who is not gifted. In order for you to open this God’s-given gift, you need first to set up and nourish a built-in foundation to receive and appreciate that gift. That foundation is self-love. For loving yourself is the key to loving others. You won’t be able to give others love and respect unless you have it first.
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Identifying the symptoms of lacking this foundation of self-love is evident. Being lost is one symptom; awaiting affirmations and appreciation from others is another symptom; looking for love and being frustrated when it’s gone is a third symptom. Confusing self-love with arrogance is a fourth one. Comparing yourself to others to see if you are good enough, strong enough or smart enough is the worst symptom of all.
The relationship with yourself should precede your relationship with others. It should be founded on loving yourself. Acting from the position of self-love is to come in terms with your whole being. By appreciating the treasures of your mind, heart and body you will start acting differently. By acting I mean setting boundaries in order to preserve these treasures. In relationships, for example, you let go of toxic relationships that make you adrift in life is a sign of loving your heart. Abiding by healthy food that will benefit your body is another sign of loving your body. Watching your thoughts and dispelling the negative ones once they arise in your mind is a third sign of loving yourself and keeping your mind sane.
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Self-love is hard to be explained but it can easily be demonstrated. One of the famous acting stars who manifest self-love is George Clooney. Throughout his interviews, he is not the one who talks so much about love and self-love, but he shows self-love. He demonstrates love in the way he takes good care of his body, heart and mind. His words are but a reflection of the way he masters the power of his thinking.
Clooney has gone through a period of healing with himself in order to find the real love in his life. After his divorce in 1993, and because of his unmatched charisma, many admirers wonder when he is going to get married once again. It wasn’t until 2014 that he got married again. For him, the 21 years of being single were a period of coming to terms with himself; building a loving relationship with himself first before connecting with the outer world.
Self-love is the foundation upon which your life is built. It’s not too late to reflect on what went wrong in your life. Start with the basis of setting a loving relationship with yourself. Upon setting this right, you will be ready to overflow and build healthy relationships with the outer world.
