Love Thyself

Love, love, love. We make sure we shower our precious loved ones with chocolate, jewelry, flowers, gifts and a lot of love, to make them feel empowered and safe. We all know that in order to be able to give love to others, we need to love ourselves first. It is written in the Talmud: “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And: “If not now, when?” How do we learn the art of loving ourselves and putting ourselves on top of our priority list?
First, we must learn what not to do. Don’t give in to fears and self-doubts. Don’t believe your inner critic and the negative thoughts from yourself or others. Don’t give your power away to anyone else. If you don’t set your own terms for your life, you’ll have to accept the terms set by somebody else. Don’t waste time with the wrong people when they don’t serve you anymore. Don’t dwell on the past when you can change your future starting today. Now is the time to get rid of anything (or anyone) that weighs you down so you can start to soar high.
Start by forgiving yourself for past mistakes; learn to be accountable for them and then move on. Accept and embrace your imperfections. Making mistakes will happen again and again, but at least know that you try. Set new goals and ensure your success by staying focused and giving yourself daily encouragement for each step you take. Do daily affirmations to boost your confidence and always remind yourself of your strengths. Develop happy, positive relationships by surrounding yourself with supportive people. Encouraging and elevating others boosts your own self-esteem.
Take care of yourself. A healthy body begins with a healthy mind. Exercise to stay fit and feel energized, eat well, sleep well and dress to look your best. Read, write, meditate, create, paint, dance and go on vacations to explore new places. Live in the moment, have gratitude and count your blessings. Understand that happiness will not come from outside, as it’s always inside you and it’s your job to tap into it to rediscover and reinvent yourself. We can never find our true potential until we learn to truly love ourselves; only then, will we be the best authentic self we can be. I wish you joy and love wherever you go.
Naomi Young is an educator of Jewish studies and a Bar/ Bat mitzvah tutor in Santa Clarita for 37 years. She’s also a published writer and an artist. Contact her at naomiyoung7@yahoo.com. Visit her art website www.naomiyoung.com.