Blog
It’s time to love ME!
by Amy Riley
March 4, 2010
On February 13, I attended the “Madly in Love with ME” Chicago event sponsored by Tiara and other amazing local businesses. Ever since, I have been thinking about the concept of self love. As I go about my daily routines and interact with people, I see how I can easily love and appreciate others and am not so quick to love and appreciate myself. I see a lack of self love. I see ways that I’m hard on myself. I see that I don’t forgive myself for actions that I would easily forgive in others – or wouldn’t even see the need to forgive in others!
So, for me, when I notice the contrast, the question that immediately comes to mind (as it often does) is “why.” Why don’t I love myself as readily? Why don’t I love myself as much and as easily as I love my year old son?
Well, it could be because I – like many women – tend to be a people pleaser. It could be that I look to others for approval instead of myself. It’s also probably that I’m simply human and it’s a natural tendency to compare ourselves to others and view ourselves as coming up short.
I’m going to say that it actually doesn’t matter why I haven’t been loving myself as much as I’d like or could! I can say right now that that stops. It’s time to love ME… unabashedly… unapologetically… abundantly. It’s time to change the talk-track in my head. Here goes…
I’m great. If I pause just a moment, I can notice many wonderful attributes about myself. I am going to treat myself like the great, caring, smart person that I am. I will appreciate myself daily for my talents and accomplishments. I will make sure that I nourish myself with regular massages and daily moments of rest. I will say “No” when I’m asked to do something that doesn’t work for me. I will say “Yes” to activities that will refuel me, even when my head tells me in the moment that I don’t deserve them or shouldn’t take time for them. I will put myself first.
What about for you? Do you love yourself? How do you – or how can you – love yourself?
Funny… I was just sitting here reading this while one of my cats was sitting on my lap. My husband looked over and said “he loves his mommy” referring to our cat sitting on my lap. I said “what’s not to love?” and my husband said, “I can’t argue with that!”
It felt great to acknowledge love for myself and my husband’s comment made me think YEAH! Announce it to the world that you love yourself!
I am going to sit with this happy feeling now and enjoy the moment. I will savor this feeling and am sure to appreciate me for my talents and my offerings to this world and love myself even more.