How Do I Love Thee?

Let Me Count The Ways…

 

I love thee to the level of every day’s

Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.

I love thee freely, as men strive for right.

I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.

I love thee with the passion put to use

In may old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose

With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,

Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death…

 

BUT ONLY IF EVERY PART OF YOU IS PERFECT.

---

 

You might be giggling because there is a bit of truth in that last part, given the funny way us humans behave. But here’s the

*PLOT TWIST!*

(Insert dramatic plot twist music and camera zoom)

 

I didn’t write that for us to read it about the people in our lives that we love, I wrote it for us to read it about US. . . YOU. . .

Yup, I said it. This is about YOU.

 

Now if you will please, go back and re read that poem with the intent that it is about YOU. How many ways can you count that you love yourself? Go on, I’ll wait. . .

 

How many ways did you come up with?How many things about yourself do you love? Hopefully more than Elizabeth Barrett Browning came up with in that poem of hers. Let’s talk about this a little more in depth.

 

It’s February

And whether or not you are a fan of it, this month is all about LOVE.

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that we are giving this month the theme of “LOVE THYSELF”. 

Yes ma’am, yes sir, it’s all about loving you, yourself, and you. We aren’t talking simply facials, bestie time, or our beloved gym therapy sessions (which are all great in their own rite), we are talking unconditional-shout it from the rooftops-leave no room for doubt, unconditional love for yourself.

Now many people will say, “Sure, of course I love myself!”, to which I often ask in reply, “Unconditionally?”. I generally get a blank stare after that question. Look, we all have flaws, we all have some questionable character traits, we all have one or two things that could use a little work. This is normal. It is human. And it is okay. But do you love yourself regardless of those things?

 

Can you love yourself enough to recognize what needs work and then actually work on it?

 

Do you love yourself enough to understand and forgive yourself for the less favorable stuff? Or do you only love the good bits? Maybe you only love yourself unconditionally on your good days? Perhaps you only love yourself on the surface, refusing to dive deeper and work towards an upgraded version of you?

These are important things to ask yourself. 

 

If We Can’t Unconditionally Love Ourselves At Our Worst, We Don’t Deserve Us At Our Best.

We can’t go showing off all the good bits, then go home and hate on ourselves for every imperfection. Can you see how terribly backwards that is?

Low self-esteem can lead to. . .

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Making it hard to try new things
• Cause one to create harmful new behaviors or coping mechanisms
• So much more.

Lighting A Fire within you is all encompassing. It’s all about your health, wellness, and happiness. If you can’t love yourself unconditionally it effects all three of those goals that we are trying to obtain in our lives.

 

Just in case you are running low on ideas, need a reminder, or just someone to flat out tell you, HERE ARE 10 WAYS TO GIVE YOURSELF A BIG BATCH OF SELF-LOVE…

1. Speak kindly to yourself. Your brain takes every positive and negative thing you speak to yourself, then files it and acts accordingly. Fill up that positive bucket.
2. Set boundaries with yourself and others.
3. Surround yourself with loving and supportive people.
4. Forgive yourself. Whatever happened in the past is the past. Whatever is happening now can be worked on. Acknowledge it, and move on.
5. Exercise. Move your body, remind yourself of what you are capable of. Even if it starts out hard, you will get stronger, and it will get easier.
6. Eat the things that make your body feel good. Are you putting things in your body that are giving you all the nutrients you need, or just what is “easier/convenient” but serves very little nutritional value?
7. Congratulate yourself on everything you have accomplished in your life!
8. Practice Gratitude. When you are so busy being focused on all of the amazing things in your life, you won’t have time for the negative.
9. Do something small that you love, every day.
10. Last but not least, pamper yourself. You are worth it. So throw some bubbles in the tub, a mask on your face, sing to your favorite songs, and love every last bit of that moment, who you are, and how gooooooood yyyooouuuu fffeeeeeeel.

 

How Do You Love Thee?…

I hope you the ways are countless.

 

I love you. Wear Your Crown, and GO FORTH!

~Jess