You have a great capacity for love and you’ll likely bestow it upon many different people and things throughout your life. Still, of all the great love affairs you’ll ever have, there’s one that trumps all the rest—the love affair you have with yourself.
- It’s a full-on commitment to yourself. It’s putting yourself first, realizing your truest potential, and kicking your dreams into motion. This type of love affair is about starting a journey of self-discovery and trekking forward while slaying obstacles in your path. It’s not about secrets and cheating others. Rather, it’s a devotion to opening up a world for yourself you’ll want to wake up in every single day.
- You’re the star and heroine of your own story. You determine and create what happens in your life, so it’s imperative that you understand your truest desires and feelings. You’re so concerned about everyone else’s happiness that you forget about how important your own is at times. It’s time to change that. It doesn’t mean you stop caring about other people’s feelings, it means putting yours at the forefront of your own life. It means making yourself a top priority. It’s about being the woman who isn’t afraid to ruthlessly pursue her goals, dreams, and desires regardless of other people’s opinions.
- Everything you want is yours for the taking, so go get it! No, it’s not selfish to have dreams and desires. In fact, the more you honor your desires, the more you honor your truest self. Don’t be afraid to fail—you can’t make things happen without taking action. Reach out and grab what is yours for the taking. Put in the commitment every single day. Love yourself enough to do that and soon everything will start to fall into place.
- You have to stop self-sabotaging—you’re all you have. This includes any self-destructive behaviors you’re currently involved in. Anything that doesn’t nourish your mind, body, and spirit needs to be trashed for good. You have to stop complaining, gossiping, and being negative about your life and start treating your body like you give a damn. Treating yourself like the queen you are is half the battle.
- Screw other people’s opinions. A true love affair with yourself means not letting other people’s opinions get to you, even if it’s someone you adore. Respectfully listen and hear what others have to say, but the ultimate opinion you should care about is your own. Other people will deal, and you’ll set yourself free.
- Only you can reach your goals. There’s something brewing deep within you that you’ve wanted to create but haven’t for whatever reason. Loving yourself means making those things manifest into reality instead of sitting on the sidelines wishing they would magically happen, with a frustrated look on your face. They’re never going to magically happen. You have to make you a priority.
- You’re 100 percent worth it. Loving yourself to the fullest doesn’t mean you can’t and won’t love others with the same force and enthusiasm. Loving yourself first, to the fullest measure, opens up the gateway for you to give love to others because you feel happy and secure within yourself. You’re totally worth your highest amount of love and attention.
- It won’t always be easy but it’ll pay off in the end. There will be obstacles along the way, no doubt. You’ll begin to see who you really want to surround yourself with. You’ll notice who’s happy for you, who uplifts you, and who wants to see you succeed. You’ll also figure out who gives you opposition. It’s going to take cutting out some of the bad in order to let in the good. It’ll be hard sometimes. You’ll feel alone because you don’t see others putting in the same commitment to themselves. Do it anyway.
- Self-discovery is a game changer. When you make your desires a top priority, you clear the path toward self-discovery. You understand what makes you happy and what doesn’t. You throw out things that don’t fit anymore and commit to a new way of living. Soon enough, you start living for the things that truly matter and stop worrying about what the latest trend or fad says you should be doing. You stop falling for everything society tells you to be, and get on with being yourself.
- You’ll blaze a path for others. When you commit to truly loving yourself, throwing out ideas that don’t fit anymore and honoring your commitments, you blaze a path for others to do the same. How great is it that you might be the reason someone else decides to love herself fully? A true love affair with yourself has a ripple effect on all the people you touch. Once others see that you’re committed to your desires they’ll begin to believe it’s okay for them too.
- You’re a forever commitment. Yes, a love affair is typically short-lived, but not this kind. When you begin a love affair with yourself, you begin a forever journey. As you grow and change throughout life, so will your desires and dreams. Grow with them. Learn and love who you are at every phase of your life.
- Your relationships will be better than you ever imagined. When you commit to this self-journey, you’ll open up love and understanding for others that you didn’t know existed. Others will see your confidence and commitment to your desires and dreams, and in turn, they’ll give you the respect you deserve. You’ll be able to empathize with the fact that a journey to the self is a huge commitment and give others more love and acceptance than you could before. You’ll surround yourself with the people that matter—the same ones that lift you up instead of cutting you down. You’ll see the positive impact your journey has on others.
