Self-Love

One of my favorite television characters ever was Phoebe Buffay from Friends (played by Lisa Kudrow). She was quirky, feisty, and sometimes downright weird. But she was never afraid to be herself, even though her friends were obviously very different in personality.

How many of us have the courage to do this? I think many of us tend to try to blend in with our friends, rather than stand out. In fact, society in general makes it clear that certain traits are considered acceptable, while others aren’t. If we dare to break from the “norm” and express a unique … read more

Inevitably in life, we will face disapproval or rejection from others. It might be a family member, friend, employer, or even a stranger. They might disagree with the way we live our lives, the decisions we make for ourselves, or even who we are. They might belittle our dreams, criticize our goals, or make hurtful comments that reveal a low opinion of us. These experiences can be quite painful, because we all want to be liked and accepted. We all want to be supported and nurtured and loved by those around us.

Do you practice unconditional love for yourself?

It always amazes me how hard we are on ourselves. We would move mountains to care for our loved ones and friends. We nurture them, encourage them, comfort them, and listen to them.

But when it comes to ourselves, we turn into drill sergeants. We push ourselves, berate ourselves, belittle ourselves.