Learning to Love Yourself (and Others)

We are all told to love your neighbor as yourself. Yet, what if you don’t love yourself? I mean really, truly, deeply love yourself. How, if you don’t love yourself can you truly love another?  I wondered about that as a child even. It’s like giving someone a glass of water – if you don’t have it, you can’t give it. 

Now, I think there is an exception, and that is that of parents. I think because of the divine and physical connection, I most parents are able to at least mentally show love and treasure their children even if they don’t love themselves. Although I’ve wondered as some parents, after working with me realized that they thought they loved their children, yet when they FELT LOVE for their children, after learning to love their self, it was very deep and different.  

So, how do you start the process of learning to connect and love yourself? There are many ways. 

Meditation

I often use a meditation with clients where you start by sitting comfortably either cross legged or feet flat on the ground. Take three deep, relaxing belly breaths centering and grounding yourself.  Once you feel centered and grounded, put a hand over your heart chakra. Imagine a pink light or ball of light at your heart space. Feel the warmth of the energy of love there. Then, see the love expand some.

Now, in your mind, picture someone you find it easy to love – like your child, mate, parent or even your best friend. See a connection heart to heart with them. Feel the loving connection and sit with the loving connection/feeling for a moment. 

The next step is to picture someone you feel pretty neutral about – neither liking nor disliking them. Someone like a neighbor perhaps or a co-worker you don’t see often. Now, again feel the love in your heart chakra and see the pink energy of love. Create the heart to heart connection with this other neutral person and feel, see the divine, loving connection with them. Again, sit with the feeling for a moment.  

Now, you guessed it – picture someone you feel negative about – perhaps someone who triggers you, pushes your buttons. Again, feel the love in your heart chakra and see, feel the warm pink energy of love. Create the heart to heart connection with this other person you have felt negative about and feel, see the loving connection with them and their divine self. Sit with the feeling for a moment – this loving connection with this divine soul who you now feel love for – even when they trigger you into a learning experience. 

The next step is to now see in you in your mind’s eye. Feel the love in your heart chakra and see the pink energy of love. Create the heart to heart connection with your vision of yourself and feel, see the loving connection with you, the divine you that is also part of Source. The person who is having a human experience and learning their lessons. Again, sit with this loving feeling for a moment. Just loving yourself.

Learn how to start living from your heart by ordering my “Living From Your Heart Blueprint” ebook. Walk through these steps to learn about how you can move towards an overall more joyful life.