Loving oneself may seem as natural as breathing, but it is really one of the hardest things to accomplish in life, especially if one has not been shown how as early as possible.
According to science, the formative years of a child are the most important years of his life. A child is taught the basic things that will allow him to thrive in the community, and a child learns about the world and about himself or herself.
Sadly, not all formative years are healthy or happy. Some are the exact opposite. Due to this, some children grow without self-esteem and without self-love. Some do not know who they are. Some reflect the abusive relationships of their childhood.
There are those who seemingly outgrow the harshness and the ugliness of their formative years. There are some who will succeed in spite an abusive environment, but many continue to be haunted. Some who “succeed” still feel a gaping hole that they must fill to be complete. Hence, there are many successful people who resort to all forms of addiction. Many commit suicide. Many self-destruct.
Loving oneself does not have a deadline. Anybody can start here and now. No matter what anyone’s past was like, it’s in the past. What matters is the present, and loving oneself is the best thing anyone can do to make living worthwhile.
After all, how can anyone truly love other people without first loving oneself? How can anyone give love, loyalty, and respect if there is no love, loyalty, and respect for oneself? It all starts within. Whatever light or darkness there is within will reflect on the outside and affect the world we revolve in. We attract the same vibration we give off to the world.
Love yourself, respect yourself, and believe in your worth. There isn’t any need to scream at the top of a mountain about your self-worth. There is no need to publicly declare that you are a strong, reliable, wonderful person. If you are, it will show. If you love and respect yourself, it will show.
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