by Linda-Ann Stewart
I have always loved the 1927 poem by Max Ehrmann, Desiderata, and have done my best to
live by its wisdom. I especially love the paragraph, “Beyond a wholesome
discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less
than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.” To me, this
means treating myself kindly, loving myself and taking care of my needs,
because I have worth by just being here.
Whenever I am tempted into some decision or behavior that
isn’t for my well being, I pause. I ask myself questions like the following:
- Is it going to contribute to my self-respect or erode it?
- Do I need it or want it?
- Does the behavior or decision support my goals?
- Will the temptation be worth it, or will I regret it later on?
It’s not easy, but most of the time, I choose to avoid the
lure of temptation and support my mental, emotional, physical and spiritual
needs. (Full disclosure: I sometimes stay up too late at night watching a
television program and regret it in the morning.)
Needs vs. Wants
Are you treating yourself well and addressing what you need
for health and well being? Many people confuse taking care of their needs with
indulging in what they want. Your wants may be old habits or ways of reacting. For
instance, there’s a part of you that wants to eat that entire bag of chocolate
candy, even though it’s bad for your health. The chocolate isn’t something
you need, it’s something you want. Giving
into a chocolate binge is a short term tactic to satisfy a craving. The
gratification lasts for only for a few minutes, and isn’t worth the risk of
weight gain, cavities or self-reproach afterwards.
Instead, healthy eating habits are long term strategies to
treat yourself kindly. You show yourself love by eating fruits, vegetables, protein
and getting enough exercise. These are behaviors that are necessary for a
healthy and happy life. They build self-respect and self-esteem. With
self-love, you take actions that may make you uncomfortable, but you know will
eventually bring you what you ultimately need and desire.
Your Relationships
Improve
When you show up for your well being, you demonstrate that
you value yourself. Your relationship with yourself improves because you think
better of who you are. This attitude translates to your relationships with
other people. Because you have self-love, you love others more deeply and have
more to give to them.
As you treat yourself with care, you attract others who also
treat you that way. If they don’t respect you, your sense of self-worth causes
you to recognize they don’t belong in your orbit. This realization includes
friends, clients and customers. Set boundaries and take actions to
appropriately protect yourself against those who can’t appreciate you the way
you deserve.
Forgiving Yourself
Treating yourself kindly also means to forgive yourself for
any mistakes you might have made. They were simply learning exercises. Mistakes
are how we learn and grow. But all too often, we chastise ourselves for infractions
for far longer than we should. This can create a cycle of self-abuse that drags
you down and keeps you stuck in the past. Systemic self-criticism also leads to
other negative decisions that shred your love of yourself.
Instead, once you learn the message a mistake has for you,
any guilt from it has no further purpose. You don’t have to castigate yourself
after you’ve made amends and set an intention not to repeat the error. Be
gentle with yourself. Accept that you’re human and grow from the experience.
Demonstrate Your Love
of Yourself
Self-love isn’t just a warm feeling about yourself. It also
includes “a wholesome discipline,” as the poem says. When you demonstrate
caring for yourself with actions, you prove how much you appreciate yourself.
Treating yourself in a kind, gentle and loving way, and one that supports your
worth, allows you to thrive and to fulfill your potential.
Affirmation:
The Universe recognizes my worth, because It put me here. I now accept my value and treat myself with respect. If I’ve made a mistake, I learn from it, forgive myself and move on. I attend to my needs, and support my health and well being. When I love myself, it translates into better decisions and actions.
Watch the accompanying video, Guided Meditation to Encourage Positive Actions.
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