The most important version of love one can have is SELF-LOVE. There are so many ways you can show yourself some love, but here are a couple that I will highlight:
1.Believe who GOD says you are: the Bible is filled with scriptures that speaks to the way God views us. Some of my favorites are: Luke 12:7 (which speaks to your value), John 15:16( you are chosen), Jeremiah 13:3(you are loved), Psalm 121( you are protected), Psalm 103:12 (you are forgiven).
2. Know your strengths: everyone has certain things they are good at. Just because you see someone on Instagram doing something that you see is working for them, doesn’t mean it will work for you. Sometimes we want to be “in the crowd” so badly that we try certain things that we see others doing, and then when we fail at it or don’t succeed like we thought we would, we are hard on ourselves. My mother always told me to STAY IN YOUR LANE. Acknowledge your strengths and use them.
3. Say “NO” when you need to: STOP saying yes because you feel bad for saying no. Saying no can help you create healthy boundaries for yourself. Learn to respect and take care of yourself.
4.The same level of energy you give to your friends when they come to you for support, apply it to yourself: I recently had a conversation with someone and he asked a question about why it was so easy to believe that greater is happening to those around you, but hard to believe that greater is happening for yourself. Often times we are so quick to gas up our friends, but we don’t know how to toot our own horns, or don’t want to toot our own horns. Sis, Bro.... TOOT. THAT. HORN. If you don’t toot it, who else will?
I want to end this blog by given you a task to do. As a teen I remember writing love letters to my boyfriend, but let’s put a twist on it.
Write yourself a love letter. It doesn’t have to be long, but I believe this is a good way to love on yourself. Talk about the things you love about yourself, what makes you smile, and all the gushy stuff you would say to a male or female. After writing the letter, put it away in a safe place(somewhere you will remember) when you have days where you are feeling low, pull out that letter and read it to yourself as much as you need.
Securely,
Bshennell