Why Self Love Is The Foundation Of All Love

Valentines Day is about love. Is there any greater love than self love?

But what is self love?

I think Thich Nhat Hanh explains it best:

“When we feed and support our own happiness, we are nourishing our ability to love. 

By giving ourselves love, we have the most to give back to our loved ones. 

Come home to yourself – accept who you are right now, appreciate the life running through your body, and own your place on the planet.”

I was unable to truly love myself. I searched for love through others and possessions, but every relationship just brought more hurt to myself.

This hurt played out with bad life decisions. Bad relationships with food, alcohol and the list goes on.

It is only now that I practice self love daily, through meditation, yoga, eating healthy food and affirmations that I can see how unloving I was to myself.  

I thought I was using food and alcohol to comfort me, it just made things worse, reducing my self esteem and love for myself under a facade of ego and bravado.

Once I was able to look inside I was gradually able to let go of the facade. Healing the wounds of my past. Forgiving myself and those that hurt me.

4 years on I am a completely different person, my true self…. in progress.

Daily practices of meditation, yoga, gratitude, forgiveness and visualisation of a beautiful future help me step into my true self so I can give more to everyone but most importantly, myself.

What act of self love can you give yourself today?