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We best love others when we love ourselves, first.
Yes.
I just said that out loud.
And I believe it.
Growing up in my particular religion of origin (not the one I practice today), the less we did for ourselves the more we "became." The more we suffered and gave up, the better we appeared in front of others. We were urged to think of the saints and respond to the world in a similar fashion. Yet, the more that I read, the more I leaned into life... the more I realized the Higher Power I believed in wanted more for me than that.
I believe that whatever you believe in - you must believe you were made to love in order to love. Meaning if you don't understand how self care, self keeping, self love (call it whatever you wish) impacts the world around you, today you have a chance to perhaps get a better grasp of how important it is to love yourself. As you are, not as you "should" be. (Throw away those shoulds sister!)
On my personal postpartum journey in particular with a critically ill infant, I was an extremely selfless human. I'm not sure if I was a good one, though! So I don't think that giving up what made me feel my best was necessarily wise - for either babe or myself.
What did do us both good was when I got a hair cut, had my feet massaged, or took a shower uninterruptedly. It did us good when I journaled, went for a walk, or chatted on the phone with a friend.
For me, I found out I can't love others well without loving myself first.
What about you?
Does this resonate?
Does it appeal to your heart or feel like soul-care to acknowledge that you have needs - and that they must be met?
I would love to hear.
Cheering you on. Selfless or selfish. You are loved, sister.
xox J.
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