Don't Forget About You!

     Loving yourself, that's a breeze, right? Why would you not love yourself? How could you not? Love is not just a pretty word. It is something that we must prioritize and put forth the energy to do. We have to actively love on ourselves. Loving yourself is more than just saying it.
     Sometimes I get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life, I forget about the act of self-love. I often find myself so bogged down in the routine of work, house cleaning, car maintenance, health care, and a list of other concerns, that I neglect me. While doing all these things are necessary, I have to remember that loving myself is the most essential. I do myself no favors when I ignore my own need for self-love.

How can we be examples of love towards one another if we don't love ourselves?

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     God wants us to love ourselves. After all, God is love. He created us with love in mind. He instructs us to love each other. Why would He not also want you to love yourself? It's not that we should love ourselves in a boasting sense of the word. He just wants us to give that same love to ourselves that we so generously give to others.
     It's in the Bible plenty about loving each other. Not being a biblical scholar, I can not say for certain there is even a single verse about self-love. My thoughts about self-love come from my own personal relationship with God. How can we be examples of love towards one another if we don't love ourselves? How can I not love myself if God loves me so much that He sacrificed His own Son for me?

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God teaches us to nourish the life He gave us.

     If God loves me this much, then yes, I think it is a must that I do as well. What is self-love? How does God prefer that I love myself? Though each person would probably answer these questions differently, there are some points on which most of us would probably agree. I know He desires each of His children to excel in life but at the least, He teaches us to nourish the life He gave us.
     He wants me to take care of my physical body so that it will last as long as possible. It is up to me to live as healthy a life as my will power will allow. He has a plan for me on this Earth and I will need my body to carry that plan into fruition. It is my very own personal temple in this world. It pleases God when I nourish it instead of causing its premature breakdown. My body is my responsibility and my soul is the occupant. I am nowhere near the perfect tenant but I can try to be better.
     He delights when I take care of myself mentally by surrounding myself with positive and uplifting people while distancing myself from harmful influences and unfit situations. Just as I feed my body nourishing food and drink, it's also necessary that I feed my mind nourishing thoughts. The brain must be worked out just like the body if it's going to function optimally. Everything I put into my brain does not need to exercise it but I do have to make the conscious effort of challenging it to function at its best.

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Self-love can no longer be negotiable.

     Loving on myself can mean refueling my spirit by spending time with God or even just carving out some me time. Some people try to present God as solely an authoritarian figure and that all He expects from us is mindless obedience. He only wants our obedience because He knows what is and isn't good for us. He wants us to enjoy life in a way that positively enhances it and not in a way that will lead to negative consequences.
     While doing everything that life requires, self-love can no longer be negotiable. It is more than just OK. It's something that God desires for each and every one of us. That doesn't mean life will be without hardships. It also doesn't imply that we should neglect the work we are put on Earth to do. It means that regardless of what we are going through and how full our plates are, we must employ healthy ways to continuously nourish, replenish, and love on ourselves. We must love on ourselves so we can enjoy this precious life God gave us.