What loving yourself means

To love yourself also means that you accept yourself just the way you are and willing to live with those things about you that you cannot change. It also means that you have self-respect, as well as exhibit positive self-image  and unconditional self-acceptance. In spite of these, we need to note that having self-acceptance does […]

To love yourself also means that you accept yourself just the way you are and willing to live with those things about you that you cannot change. It also means that you have self-respect, as well as exhibit positive self-image  and unconditional self-acceptance.

In spite of these, we need to note that having self-acceptance does not in any way translate to being arrogant, conceited or thinking that we are better than anyone else. It simply means having a healthy regard for oneself and recognising that we are worthy human beings.

It is important to remind ourselves that there is no perfect person because we all have our shortcomings. Each one has his strength, weaknesses and also possesses the resources to work on improving them.

To appreciate yourself, it is up to you to discover what makes you unique and to further develop those talents. We have a responsibility to ourselves to do so.

Throwing more light one this, Ifeanyi Eze, church counselor, explains that, one should not just sit around and wait for approval from others. “You need to work on accepting yourself. You are the only “you” that you have and it is in your own best interests to be the best that you can be.”

He adds that until you love yourself, you will not be able to love anyone else. “You can only love another to the degree that you do yourself.”

Miss Samantha Eboh said many people spend so much time waiting to be loved, hoping love will find us, searching, yearning for that special love and end up feeling empty and lost without it. “The way I look at it, life does not work that way. We need to love ourselves first. This is mainly having self-respect and which for me, is the only dependable way to create love in our own life to share with others. If we expect love from somebody else, and for one reason or the other, they do not fulfill our expectations or desires, we will feel worse than before. To be able to be loved, we must first love and respect ourselves as much as we do others.”

According to Eze, it is possible for a person to learn to love himself. “You do so by investing in and working on your personal growth and development. You work on being the best you can. You understand that you are human, but you acknowledge that you have the potential and spiritual capability to rise above whatever conditions and obstacles are put in your path.”

In accordance with this, banker Tina Jacobs opines that if one says he loves himself, he will make efforts to take care of himself physically, mentally and emotionally. “You take care to look and feel your best by nurturing your body, mind and spirit.”

According to her, if you love yourself enough, to take care of these three very fundamental elements of your existence, you will not only become more self-aware, you will generate feelings of worth and accomplishment.

Proper diet is the first and most vital route to good looks, says fitness expert, Simon Ikolo. “You take care of your body by eating well, exercising and getting plenty of rest. Now that internet is readily available, people can go online and read about different healthy regimes that they can key-into help them achieve their desired look and health balance. There are many materials available that can help them learn what types of food and exercise are good for you and your particular body type.

Furera Salihu advices that the mind is a strong thing and it shouldn’t be taken for granted. “It needs to be nourished and exercised all the time. Stimulate it by learning about new and interesting things, not just watching movies and indulging in those that only entertain. Indulge the mind in things which also provoke it to think and reason deeply.”

If you take care of your mind and body but neglect your spirit, you will lack balance and feel that something is missing in your life. “Taking care of your spirit rejuvenates you and helps you deal with the daily stress and challenges of everyday life,” Salihu stresses.

When you love yourself, you invest in your personal growth and development. You do all you can to be the best that you can be and you strive to achieve your potential.