Hey Bestie! In order to love anyone, you must first learn how to love yourself.
Have you been finding it scary to love yourself? It’s probably because you weren’t taught to love yourself first.
God’s way is that you love Him, yourself, and then others so let’s start to do things in the proper order from now on. This will bring you the peace that you’re looking for within your life.
This post will be all about how to love yourself first.
Are you ready? Let’s geaux!
What Does It Mean To Love Yourself First
For a long time, loving yourself was deemed as selfish. The world taught that giving your last meant that you loved someone.
Well what happens when you’ve given your all and you’re now left empty? It’s not possible to give everything without receiving anything because that’s how burnout happens.
Loving yourself first requires you to put things in the proper order. It’s coming to the understanding that you must love God, yourself, and then others.
Everything in this life has to have balance in order to maintain harmony and peace. Also, you need to know what love is before you can give it to anyone including yourself.
Love starts with God because He is love. He is the Creator of love and this is why you have to go to Him to understand love.
Why Is It Important To Love Yourself First
When a woman is pregnant, she usually adopts the idea that she’s eating for two. It’s amazing that the baby receives whatever the mother receives while in the womb.
Imagine if the woman never gave herself anything throughout the course of her pregnancy. Would the baby still receive the proper nutrients to grow healthy? Probably not.
The reason why it’s important to love yourself first is because like the pregnant woman in our example, what’s on the inside of you matters far more than what’s on the outside of you.
Your entire being is dependent on you loving yourself first. Do you know what you are as a creation?
You’re a spirit, with a soul, inside of a body. Every part of you matters!
Once you solidify the love on the inside, it will have no choice but to radiate outwardly.
What Are Some Benefits Of Loving Yourself First
The love you have for yourself is the foundation of your mental health and wellbeing.
Some of the benefits include:
- Understanding that you and God are one
- Healthy self-concept and perspective
- Reduced depression and anxiety
- Ability to thrive in the midst of adversity
- Freedom from people pleasing and codependent relationships
- Ability to set healthy boundaries
- Harmony and peace with others
12 Tips To Love Yourself First
Self-love happens over time. As you grow, you’ll discover more ways to give yourself the love you deserve.
This process is NOT an all or nothing process or a process that you have to speed through. I encourage you to take your time and enjoy learning and unlearning as you become your authentic self.
Here are twelve tips on how to love yourself first:
1. Stay In Tune With God
God is the one who got you started on this adventure and he’ll be the one to bring it to completion in Christ Jesus (1 Corinthians 1:9 MSG).
Since God is love, He knows the best way you can give love to yourself. Let God lead you on your self-love journey.
2. Define Love
Love was here before you and love will outlast you. Because you didn’t create love, you can only rediscover what it is.
What did God say love is according to His word? Check out 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.
3. Remind Yourself That You’re Loved
You may have grown up in an environment where the people around you didn’t display love properly. Although, that wasn’t your fault, it’s now your responsibility to rediscover what love is and emulate it.
The word responsibility just means that you’re now able to consciously respond.
Now is your opportunity to respond to yourself by reminding yourself that you are loved.
4. Quit Self-Sabotaging
Self-sabotaging is like being your own roadblock to success. It’s getting in your own way with bad habits and self destructing patterns.
Let me ask you this: If you love someone would you intentionally sabotage them? If the answer is no, then why you keep doing it to yourself?
Want to learn how to stop self-sabotaging? Check out this post.
5. Forgive Yourself For Mistakes
You’re a person too! Read that again.
You shouldn’t be holding yourself to anything you’ve done in the past. Forgive yourself because you’re not that person anymore.
6. Practice Positive Self-Talk
Have you ever thought about why negative self-talk comes so natural to you? When you speak about what you don’t like, you’ll continue to see the things you don’t like.
Once you decide to speak about the things you do like about yourself then you’ll experience more of those things.
Remember life and death is in the power of your tongue and whatever you choose to say will bring forth that fruit (Proverbs 18:21 NIV).
7. Take Care Of Your Body
Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. It’s literally the only house you get to live in in this realm.
Start treating your home with more respect. Clean it up by eating whole foods. Move the furniture around by exercising.
It’s time for you to look at your body as the temple it is. You are worth more than you know.
8. Embrace Your Creativity
Because you came from God, creativity is in your bones. What is something that you like to create?
My encouragement to you if you’re still in the process of figuring it out is to try new things.
Here’s a list of things you can try:
- Gardening
- Drawing
- Writing songs
- Organizing
- Painting
- Sewing/Designing Clothes
- Singing
- Dancing
And the list goes on..
9. Affirm Yourself
Affirmations reprogram your thoughts. You are whatever you think in your heart ().
The best affirmation are the ones that God spoke over you. Here’s a list of affirmations all pointing to who you are in Christ.
10. Embrace Your Most Natural Self
Who are you without any other enhancements? You’re authentic self deserves to be on display for the world to see.
Stop hiding and embrace your most natural self. You’re perfect just the way you are.
11. Give Yourself Credit For How Far You’ve Come
You could’ve given up long ago, but you didn’t! That is worthy of a celebration.
What can you do to celebrate yourself?
12. Set Healthy Boundaries With Yourself
Apostle Paul said it best. He said “everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial (1 Corinthians 6:12 AMPC).
What are the things that are stopping you from loving yourself? It’s time to distance yourself from them because you deserve the best.
This post was all about how to love yourself first.
Always remember you’re destined to win because He got up!
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