Dear Friends,

Last night I received an email that said, I don’t think telling myself that I love me, is going to get me closer to God. This was my mantra for meditation many years ago. ” I LOVE (on the inhale), MY–SELF(on the exhale).

Then today someone asked me to ponder on an essay about Loving Yourself. She said, it is so foreign for women to understand to love themselves, and when we say that it doesn’t mean LOVE YOURSELF MORE than God or anyone, but love yourself as MUCH. If a God Breeze hits you, it seems that the ladies don’t understand that concept at all.

I decided to go straight to God’s word and find the exact verses.

Matthew 22:37-40

New King James Version (NKJV)

37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'[a] 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'[b] 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

As I read the the Scripture, Love is the foundation for God’s Word.

Here is my feelings NOW on Finally Loving Yourself.

1. God is love! Love is the overriding power that holds the universe together.

2. We have been beaten down so long, that we feel unworthy of any love, especially our own.

3. This lack of self love, pushing every thing away from us. Our family, friends, and we push God away. He always loves us.

4. We act as a Martyr. We may think that selfless acts bring us closer to God, when in fact many times it is our egos that caused us to do this “selfless act”! You Shame them,”Just look at what I do for you!” These things are also done in anger. “No one else will do this, so It looks like it is left up to me!” Also they are done in Pride. “No one can, to it as well as I can!” Oh and let’s not forget the greed, “I am going to do this because I will get points and everyone will notice what I do.” This attitude steals from others the ability to contribute. When we love ourselves, we do for the joy of doing and out of love for our brethren. Everyone is blessed

How many times have you volunteered for something and your home was a disaster and you were so burnt out that you could barely function? You were not loving yourself when you did these things.

5. God loves us. We are commanded to love our neighbor as ourselves. Did you know, that if you don’t love yourself first, you can not love your neighbor to the fullest extent?

6. We have not been taught to love ourselves. We are told from a very early age that giving is the only way to play. There is a difference between being selfish and loving yourself. If you give away your whole pie, you are not going even know what kind of pie you had. Save some of it for yourself, so you can replenish your pie from time to time, so you will have more to give away.

7. When you finally start to love yourself, your cup of love will be overflowing all the time. Love will be all around you. Loving yourself, allows you love others fully.

8. Now listen to me. God sees us as His babies. Can you imagine God, looking down on His crying babies and saying. “You are not worthy of my love.” Do you do this with you sweet babies sitting on the floor with their arms stretched up toward you. No you don’t, You pick up those little darlings and cuddle them and tell them just how much you love them. Why can’t you do this for yourself? God has heard your cries. He has given you an answer to your many prayers. You are tried of crying and being hopeless. Reach down inside of yourself and cuddle that sweet darling baby and tell her that you know she is hurting and you will nurture her so that she will have to energy to love others.

9. The opposite of Love is not Hate, it is fear. This is our perfectionism again. Fear we can not do this right. Fear of what others will think of us. Fear that we are not good enough. When you love yourself, this fear goes away.

10. Did you know that a poor person can not help as many as a rich person? Now don’t email me fussing about this. Think about how much good you can do if you have more money, more time and more love. This is one reason, when you take care and love yourself, all of this comes together. You will have more money, because you will respect what you have and therefore bring more abundance into your life. You will have more time, because you will be using yours wisely, by taking care of yourself and your family first. Then you will have more love, because the act of caring for yourself, allows you to live in a loving spirit that is always filled to overflowing.

11. Finally Loving Yourself, is the answer to being all that you can be in God’s eyes. When you can put yourself first without quilt, you will be more able to love unconditionally. Your love will be in everything you do. You will be the reflection of the love that God has for you.

Are you ready to FLY?

Come join me, There is so much love to give!

FlyLady