Self-love

“Talk to yourself like you would talk to someone you love.” ~Brene Brown

Sociologist and best-selling author Brene Brown often reminds her readers that healthy relationships begin with self-love and self-respect. While it might sound counterintuitive, it makes perfect sense. When you feel loved, confident, and secure, you have a deep reservoir of love for others. When you come from a place of abundance, you have plenty to give.

Healthy self-love shouldn’t be confused with egotism or self-absorption. Self-love is the ability to accept your own humanity (flaws and quirks included) with gratitude and humility. Self-love is a willingness to keeping growing while you support the growth of others. Meanwhile, self-respect helps you establish boundaries when others mistreat you.

If you catch yourself “trash-talking” to yourself, you need to stop it, Brown advises. “When we screw up or fall down, many of us talk to ourselves in ways that we would never talk to someone we love and respect.”~CL