Might as well love yourself first....right?

Did you ever stop to think about how special you are?
As Gautama Buddha has said, "You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection."

Now, loving yourself doesn't mean being selfish or conceited. Self-love means recognizing your uniqueness. You are able to see your good points and not continually focus on what you see as "faults." You're more open to change any negatives into positives, because you don't "blame" yourself or feel unworthy. It means you can see your own potential clearly. And after all, you can't give and receive love from others if you don't love yourself. When you can love and accept yourself as you are, nothing can stop you from achieving whatever you desire.

Comedienne Lucille Ball knew this very well. She said, "Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world."

To help you get the hang of this idea, here's a little exercise to practice with. Don't worry if you feel a little funny or self-conscious at first. That's only natural. All you need is a mirror. Look directly into your eyes and say the following:
"I love and approve of myself just as I am."

It's a great way to both start and end your day.
John Lennon put it in a nutshell, in his whimsical way: "You're just left with yourself all the time, whatever you do anyway. You've got to get down to your own god in your own temple. It's all down to you, mate."

So....don't be afraid to LOVE yourself first, then you will then be able to give and receive LOVE from others.