In society today, it is important to practice self-love for a healthy state of mind. We are constantly under siege by feelings of insecurity, jealousy, shame, and anxiety. As a result, we push these feelings away in order to make the most of life, until they arise again- usually worse than the previous time. Self-Love is a state of appreciation for yourself that switches focus from the external world to your internal world. The first step to practicing self-love is to practice acceptance.
To love yourself, you must accept yourself fully. How can you love unconditionally when there are things about yourself that you have repressed because of shame or fear? To love yourself, you must confront your most vulnerable self. Understand that it is okay to have insecurities and fears. It is only normal to hide things, we do it all the time.
No matter how difficult it is, you must pull those fears, insecurities, and flaws and acknowledge them. You will feel pain, discomfort, and shame. But be proud that you have faced yourself, your true self. Understand that this build-up of negative energy is not your fault. It has been caused by the events that have occurred in your life, which are almost always out of your control. We are who we are because of our experiences, therefore it is stupid to wholly blame ourselves for our flaws. We never consciously choose our personality. It has been sculpted as our life has progressed. Do not blame yourself. Embrace those flaws, and work on them. The world is in a state of impermanence, and you do not have control over it. Accept that. You are only in control of your attitude towards it. Tackle your flaws head-on and make little changes every day to help better yourself (Keeping an honest journal helps with this).
(Quick tip for uncovering and dealing with the repressed fears, insecurities, and flaws: Next time you catch yourself having these uncomfortable thoughts, do not distract yourself with another thought. Dwell on it, understand why you thought it, and forgive yourself. Take a note of it and write down steps to get rid of that negative energy.)
Once you accept your flaws and are not hiding anything from yourself, you will feel peace and truth. You will radiate positive energy, and help others find peace within. This change in yourself will show in your relationships with others as well. You will be more open and honest about yourself; which people appreciate and embrace. If they do not, then you will automatically find the right people for you, over time. You will become easier to love. Most importantly, by being your true self, you will not live in a state of discomfort for people that expect you to be somebody you are not. If you talk about your experiences, you will inspire many people to break out of their shells and be their true selves.
Once you see the imperfections in yourself, you will see them in others as well. And this is not a bad thing, but a thing of beauty. The recognition of imperfection in all beings gives rise to a sense of universal unity. We are all in this together. Underneath all our differences, every one of us shares a similarity. We want to be happy. That is what unites us. By accepting ourselves, we feel compassion for the world. Take these steps with me. Love yourself.
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