The most important relationship we all have is with ourselves. The center of your social environment, the common element in all of your relationships, is you. You have likely heard the common advice, "If you don't love yourself, then how can anyone else love you?" I don't believe this is 100% true, but I do believe that in order to truly live a vibrant life with healthy relationships, we need strong self-esteem and sense of self-worth. But how does someone trapped in a world of depression, anxiety, shame, or anger build self-esteem?
In my blog about Love Languages I discussed how every person speaks and perceives love through specific methods, which sometimes differs from our partners. Our Love Language can also impact our self-esteem and our sense of self-worth. An example: If my primary Love Language is Words of Affirmation but my mind constantly berates me and insults me like a schoolyard bully, then my self-esteem is going to wither away. Alternatively, if I make a point of congratulating myself on my accomplishments and identifying aspects of my character that I appreciate, I will feel more loved and my self-esteem will improve.
Try this: Take the Love Language assessment and consider how you currently treat yourself in your love language. Write down a list of actions you can do that use your love language to show yourself a little more love and compassion. Each day, do one of the items from the list. At the end of a week, reflect on all the love you have expressed for yourself and consider this question: do you feel loved?
In my blog about Love Languages I discussed how every person speaks and perceives love through specific methods, which sometimes differs from our partners. Our Love Language can also impact our self-esteem and our sense of self-worth. An example: If my primary Love Language is Words of Affirmation but my mind constantly berates me and insults me like a schoolyard bully, then my self-esteem is going to wither away. Alternatively, if I make a point of congratulating myself on my accomplishments and identifying aspects of my character that I appreciate, I will feel more loved and my self-esteem will improve.
Try this: Take the Love Language assessment and consider how you currently treat yourself in your love language. Write down a list of actions you can do that use your love language to show yourself a little more love and compassion. Each day, do one of the items from the list. At the end of a week, reflect on all the love you have expressed for yourself and consider this question: do you feel loved?
RSS Feed