Learn to Love Yourself

Did you know that loving yourself will help you achieve happiness and fulfillment in life?  Some single moms fail to realize this.  They are so absorbed with loving others – kids, family, friends – that they forget to love themselves.  Without realizing it, they also sometimes refuse to love themselves.

 

Love yourself and experience happiness. When we love and embrace ourselves as capable, loveable, funny, whole human beings, people will see us this way and love us in return.  If you keep beating yourself for your past mistakes, people will treat you as a loser.  The way we see and treat ourselves mirrors how other people will see and treat us.

 

We need to learn to love ourselves more, accept ourselves for who we are (faults, imperfections and all).  Here are some suggestions on how you can learn to love yourself:

 

1. Do something for yourself everyday.  There is no other person on planet earth busier than a single mom.  Nevertheless, you need to do something for yourself every single day. That something doesn’t have to cost you much or take much of your time.  It could be a trip to the salon for a pedicure, and hour to read a book, lunch with a friend, window shop, etc.  This activity will recharge you and make you remember that you are an important and great person.
2. Get encouraged.  Connecting with people, places and things that inspire us helps us to overcome challenges and better love ourselves.  I for one get inspiration from reading inspirational books.  One book I am particularly fond of is Mama Rock’s Rules.  Rose Rock, co-author of Mama Rock’s Rules and mother to 10 children and 17 foster children, specializes in preschool and special education.  She said, “Blessings are only good when you pass them on”. Rose Rock, among others, inspired me to share my life as a single mom.  Being a single mom may not be a blessing but being able to hurdle through the challenges of a single mom is definitely a blessing. I pass on to single moms the methods I use to overcome those challenges, making me love, heal and respect myself in the process.
3. Express your creativity. We all have individual gifts and talents. Give yourself time to discover your unique gifts and talents.  Harness and develop these talents then share them with other people.  You will experience joy and happiness as you do this simple sharing of your creative gifts and talents.  Knowing your gifts and talents will remind you that you are special and worthy of being loved.