Your task is not to seek for love,
but merely to seek and find
all the barriers within yourself
that you have built against it.
-Rumi
What’s this Self Love everybody’s talking about? Self-Help shelves are stuffed to the brim with “Love Your Self” and “Take Care of your Self”. How are we supposed to know if we love ourselves unconditionally and fervently? How can we tell?
Do you think happy positive thoughts of encouragement and enthusiasm about You? Do you speak to your Self as though speaking to a sweet child? Do you whisper in your mind’s eye, Yes you can and You are awesome, and Bring it on life! I can do this!
Or are you listening to an old broken record of regrets, shame and guilt more times than not? Don’t even think about it or You’re not good enough or Life is unfair and I can’t do this.
Do negative thoughts seep into the recesses of your mind like spiders in the dark, without you even knowing it? How would I know, if I don’t know? You may ask. Great question!
The first step to loving yourself is awareness of thought. Be the observer of your mind. Be curious. Pay attention.
What was I just thinking? What AM I thinking?
Sometimes thoughts can be tricky little buggers. They can scurry away from us like critters running for cover when the lights come on. Be grateful for the light. See them. You have just discovered Step One.
Step Two is to catch them sooner the next time… and the time after that, without berating yourself. Don’t say, Poop, I did it again. Instead, congratulate yourself for a job well done. I did it! I caught those pesky buggers. See if they can get away from me next time!
Eventually you will be seeing your thoughts clearly, like fish swimming in a stream. You will be able to pick and choose which ones to follow, and which ones to let go.
You will be in control of your mind… and your life.
And eventually, with practice and discipline, your thoughts will be like butterflies filling your perception with color and light. You go Guy!, You rock Sister! And then you can do anything you set your mind to.
As long as it’s loving, positive and encouraging… You will be in LOVE with YOU! With enough positive thinking, you can find all the love in the world, for yourself and for others.
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