Day 307: What Self-Love Can Look Like
This morning I was thinking about how a lot of things in our lives get revisited again as we spiral higher in our vibrational set point.
Yes, there are things we've already learned. And now we know ourselves better and will see them in a different light and at a deeper level when we revisit them.
It allows us to say yes to ourselves in a more meaningful way, from a deeper understanding.
And my hope is that our ability to truly love every bit of who we are is increasing all the time.
For the 50+ years since I started on this path in high school, the main theme always goes back to knowing ourselves at the deepest level, loving ourselves unconditionally, and supporting our endeavors at every level.
The Teachings of Abraham remind us:
"What we are really encouraging is that, every day, you be selfish enough to say, 'Nothing is more important than that I feel good. And I'm going to find ways to do that today."
Louise Hay's affirmations and books focus on the importance of deeply loving and accepting ourselves.
One of the first things I learned from her back in the early 90s was that many people can't look in their own eyes in a mirror and say "I love you" to the person they see there.
I was one of them. And I learned the more I practiced it, the easier it got, and then I started to believe what I was saying.
And I have to say that I see proof in my life that I love myself more each year. One way I can tell is that my inner dialogue is much kinder and more supportive.
And while I still hold myself to a higher standard than I would ever hold others to, I'm working on it. Actively.
We are all works in progress and will be until our very last breath.
Today's affirmation from Louise was, "I appreciate all that I do. I am the most important person in my life."
I can imagine that will be difficult to take in for people who have been taught their whole life that you should put others above yourself.
But if you do, you aren't taking care of them to the level you could if you took care of your own needs first. Then your cup would be full for you to share with others instead of how low it is because you take care of yourself from what is left at the end of the day.
Years ago, that statement would have felt very different to me than it does today. I've learned that putting myself first doesn't mean I care any less about the people in my life. It means I'm no longer willing to leave myself out of the equation when deciding what everyone needs.
When I was growing up, society and churches taught us that it was selfish, egotistical, arrogant, and just wrong to focus on yourself and your needs.
A Course in Miracles taught me that humility is accepting the magnificence that God gave us and using it fully. And it's arrogant for us to choose to hide the uniqueness God has given us.
Society tries to tell us we are arrogant and sets out to take us down when we get too full of ourselves. That's control, not humility.
So I can accept what Louise said today and take care of myself and value myself more each day. Doing that allows me to serve others at a higher level.
And as we continue to grow and change, we see things differently. We become more of who we truly are.
And that means an opinion or belief we held up until a minute ago may have just changed.
It's important that we allow ourselves and others the freedom to grow and expand and change their minds. It's part of why we're here in this life.
It doesn't take a year to grow and change, as we have been led to believe by New Year's Resolutions or yearly goal setting.
It doesn't take 21 days to install a new habit. It takes a decision. One with a good, strong 'why' behind it.
Change happens in an instant. Any instant where we decide we are ready.
At any point, we can choose something new, something different.
We can let go of baggage we've been carrying, figuratively and literally.
We can choose right now to release things that are no longer needed by who we are right now.
Doing these things gives us support as we walk out of the in-between and feel that we are ready to cross our next Truth Threshold.
The clarity begins to arrive, and with it, the lighter our load, the easier the transition, the quicker we can pivot as things become clearer.
This requires that we first fill our own cup, so we can walk this path. It can't be done with all those other voices in our heads, each wanting something different from us.
Focusing first - not completely, just first - on caring for yourself allows you to move into an internal harmony where you're more connected to your inner voice, which leads you through your days with a new inner calm, clarity, flow, ease, and steadily moving toward those thoughts that make you feel good.
I love that after more than 50 years of learning and practicing these teachings, I'm still finding deeper meaning in things I first encountered decades ago.
I'll leave you with something I read today in A Course in Miracles:
"Nothing is difficult that is wholly desired."
That seems like a wonderful reminder to get quiet enough to recognize what we really want, and to love ourselves enough to honor it.
Today's Gentle Practice
Today, think about how well you're taking care of the most important person in your life. You.
Ask yourself:
Am I giving myself the same love, care, and consideration that I so willingly give to the people I love?
Notice where you've been putting your own needs last or feeling guilty for wanting something just for yourself.
Remember that loving yourself unconditionally means recognizing your own value, appreciating all that you do, and allowing yourself to enjoy a life that feels good to you.
Give yourself permission to fill your own cup first, knowing that you have so much more to share when you're feeling loved and supported.
With you,
Lynn
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