You’ve heard me talk before about the stories that we tell ourselves. Those stories can be positive, uplifting and bring out the best of who we are. Actually, the stories we tell ourselves SHOULD be positive, uplifting and bring out the best of who we are.
But sometimes the stories we tell ourselves are different. Stories like “Why can’t I be better at this or that”. Or “I’m never going to be able to do this”. “I’m not good at anything”. “I’m not good enough”.
When those are the stories that you believe about yourself, it can be toxic to your life. You don’t like yourself. Certainly, don’t love yourself. And that leads to limiting beliefs, living in fear, playing small. It leads to self-fulfilling prophecy.
My personal negative stories have been with me a long time. It has taken time and consistency to build self-love. I take time to be more mindful of what I’m thinking and feeling. I’ve learned to say no to things that don’t serve me and yes to those that do. I’ve learned (and continue to learn) to forgive myself for any past mistakes or failures. I’ve learned to give myself the same compassion that I give to everyone around me. I protect myself by having the right people in my life, the ones who see my true self and love me for it. I make sure to talk to and about myself with love, compassion and grace.
What is really encouraging is that liking yourself, loving yourself, isn’t just a feeling. It’s an action. It’s something that you can do, a change that you can make. It’s something you can cultivate and nurture. I’ll be honest and tell you that it’s not easy sometimes. It takes time and intention. It takes consistency.
It's also SO worth the effort. Because loving yourself provides you with self-confidence and self-worth. It provides you with acceptance. It means having a higher regard for your own well-being. You learn to accept yourself for who you are today. Liking yourself gives you more power and strength. Loving yourself most certainly brings you more joy. You have within you the power to change your negative stories. My biggest hope is that you start today on the journey of self-love.