“If I asked you to name all the things you love, how long would it take to name YOURSELF?” Jenna Kutcher

I love a lot of people and things in this world, but loving myself probably wouldn’t come close to the top of the things I would initially list.

WHY NOT?

To be honest, it’s probably because of a narrative I heard from my religious background that said loving myself was arrogant or conceited. Somehow I picked up along the way that loving (or even liking) myself was to be avoided…and definitely not articulated outloud.

I even feel weird saying it now. 
I LOVE MYSELF. 
I LIKE MYSELF.

Woah. That feels weird. I feel like you’re going to judge me for being self-centered.

When I type that…and admit it…I realize how ridiculous that sounds, but it’s true.

Think of all the ways that we are unloving toward ourselves. From the way we talk about ourselves to the way we treat our bodies to the lack of sleep to the ______________________ (fill in the blank).

If we’re uncomfortable saying “I love myself”, what if we started with some simple loving actions? What would it look like to express love for yourself today?

– Eating a healthy meal.
– Drinking lots of water.
– Moving your body.
– Expanding your mind by reading or listening to an interesting podcast.
– Reaching out to a friend to spend some quality time.
– Making a list of things you’re thankful for.

And, tonight, when I go to bed, what if I end the day by saying to myself…”David, I like you. I love you. You are growing and learning and doing a great job.”

I’m going to try that today. How about you?