loving yourself

What do you love about yourself?

When I was growing up and you asked me this, I would have told you nothing. My self-esteem was rock bottom right into my late twenties when I hired a coach and decided to do something about it. 

You see, my lack of self-love was holding me back.

I wasn’t applying for my dream jobs because I didn’t think they would hire me.

I dated people who treated me poorly because that’s what I thought I deserved.

I let a boss bully me because I believed that’s what strong leadership was.

I stayed in a job I hated because I didn’t think I would find anything better.

I said yes to everything because if I said yes you would think I was valuable.

Statements like this come from what I call my small self. I lived in scarcity and fear. I settled for almost everything in my life. And I was tired. No rest from the constant spiral of self-doubting thoughts, never-ending people pleasing, and self-deprecation.

Do you get where I was? Have you been there?

I’m not alone, neither are you. 

Sometimes self-love is seen as selfish - how can we put ourselves first. I’ll tell you this - a lack of self-love makes us small. We make small choices, let fear guide us, and project fear and doubt on those around us. 

What would your life be like if you had a list of 101 things you loved about yourself? What would open up for you? 

Pause again. Take a slow breath. Can you write down 26 more things you love about yourself right now?