Do We Really Need to Love Ourselves?

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Do We Really Need
to Love Ourselves?


There are lots and lots of messages out there about loving ourselves. 

Some say it is the most important thing.

Others say it is selfish.  

What do you think?  

Let me offer some thoughts to consider.  

God's Word tells us, "We love because God loved us first." 1 John 4:19.  If God loves us, then we must be lovable. 100%! 

Another verse tells us that He loved us while we were still rebellious, so Him loving us doesn't depend on our behavior.

Does not loving ourselves agree with these truths?  Hmm, something to think about.

A thought pattern I had in earlier years was, "If  I don't love myself,  I will behave better so that I will then be able to love myself."  Can you relate?  

This performance based acceptance is shaky ground. 
Let's look some firm understanding.

Love is a feeling.  When we feel love we act in certain "loving" ways.  Our feelings and emotions are created with our thoughts.  

So, If I want to act lovingly I must think lovingly.  This goes for my thoughts about myself, too.

It is true, there are areas in me that I am wanting to improve.  Are those areas lovable?  Part of my work IS to love those areas.  Love leads to actions of love.  

In contrast, detest (the opposite of love) leads to actions of detest.

In the book Love and Survival, Dr. Ornish, a cardiologist writes, "no other factor in medicine.  not diet, not smoking, not exercise, not stress, not genetics, not drugs, not surgery. affects our health, quality and length of life more that feeling loved and cared for. 

Get curious about how you are thinking about yourself.  The parts of you you are wanting to improve need to feel loved.

Are you interested in learning to love yourself, even the parts of you you want to improve?

Let me help you.  A free mini session with me will create a whole new way of looking at food, but more importantly, a whole new way of looking at you!

Click here to get started scheduling a free mini session with me.  https://peghinman.wufoo.com/forms/free-mini-session/

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