Is it possible to love others as you love yourself?

Hello mi neighbour! If loving ourselves is a great idea, to love others as much as we love ourselves is even greater. Is it really possible for me to love you as much as I love me? How so? Let’s see.

Why is it so important to love others as much as we love ourselves? Well … why should we love ourselves? Simply put, GOD our creator, the God of love, loves us and commands us to do likewise.

Loving ourselves puts us in a good mood, and gives us a reason for living, learning and progressing. Self-love helps us to attract good friends and build positive relationships. And the list goes on. By the way, self-love is not selfish love.

Watch out! Our shortcomings should not deter us form loving ourselves to the max. No one is perfect. We all make mistakes. Many of us struggle with self-forgiveness at times. The fear that we are not good enough, and the fact that others hate us, can hinder us from loving this masterpiece of a person that God “formed from the dust of the earth” for success: Some of us become lawyers, preachers, doctors, garbage collectors, etc. Lovely.

How do we develop self-love? Other writers suggest a few ways: Validate yourself. Practise looking into the mirror, and instead of seeing your flaws, see beauty. Disagree with the negative voices in your head, about yourself, and they will soon die. Bury them ... and please don’t resurrect them! Actively listening to negative voices gives them power to shape your mind, attitude, and behaviours. Remember: victims are those who have things happen to them. Taking control of your thoughts makes you a victor!

Do daily introspection: what are your talents? What are your good behaviours? How can you uplift others? Find the good things in life and celebrate them – especially the small ones. Never miss an opportunity, and don’t be afraid of going slowly.

If you make it a habit to help others, painful though it may be at times, you will soar. It will help you to look outside yourself and see that you, yourself, are a part of the bigger picture called humanity. Treating others with respect, helps to change your perspective on them and how they survive.

Whether or not the good treatment you mete out to others is reciprocated, is not the issue. Continue to extend yourself. You will only get better at loving yourself while helping to humanise other human beings. They will catch up in time and begin to do likewise. Serving others rewires your brain to focus on building up instead of tearing down.

Do the things that are good for you. Take care of yourself. It’s amazing how much our moods are affected by lack of sleep or diet. Your health is a factor in your happiness. As my friend William Simon would remind me: your body is made up of chemicals and cells all working together, but in order to work right, they need the right fuel. Please research. Ensure that you’re doing your best to facilitate good feelings. Above all, pray to the Almighty, daily!

Immerse yourself in a new project. Do the things you love to do because having a purpose, not only puts you in a good mood, it gives you a reason for living, giving and serving. Pleeeease, don’t leave out the hobbies, learn a new skill, and invite friends to join you. Positive relationships build self esteem.

Now for the conclusion of the whole matter: if you live by the above principles, before you know it, you will start loving others as much as yourself. So we arrive at the theory that we can truly love others as much as ourselves by truly loving ourselves. As easy as that? Yes, as easy as that! Let’s go for it. Thanks for stopping by.

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