Do You Really Love Yourself?

Many of us tout that we love ourselves.  I’ve heard many Women, even myself in the past say “Oh….I Love Myself,” but the entire time living a life contrary to that.  Indulging in unhealthy relationships, eating habits, friendships, spending habits, and so much more.  Actually hating our lives, while lying not only to ourselves, but to others.  Side note:  It’s so much easier to live the truth, than to live a lie.

How could you possibly love yourself, if you are continuing to allow and accept unhealthy behaviors, habits, and people into your life?  How?  That is impossible.  If you loved yourself, why would you hurt yourself?

I strongly believe that over time, we have conditioned our minds to believe that loving ourselves means buying expensive clothes, purses, and cars that we really can’t afford, having a lot of people around us, that could really care less about us, partying, taking selfies, and being in relationships that we know harm us, make us feel less than, and place us in bondage. 

All of this, because we have the wrong definition of love.  All of this to say, “I have a man,” or “I don’t need a man,” or “I can buy myself whatever I want,” or “My life is fun,” or “Don’t I look good?”  All of these things are superficial and have nothing at all to do with loving yourself.  Nothing at all.  No man, amount of clothing, car, purse, or irrational self-talk, will equal to you loving yourself, having self-respect, and truly caring about yourself. 

Loving yourself first begins with knowing who you are.  I spoke about this in a previous blog post “Who Are You.”  If you have no idea who you are, how could you possibly love yourself?  You don’t even know who the person is that you are loving? 

Loving yourself begins with understanding who you are in Christ and that your life and your body is not your own, it all belongs to him.  So, then why are we damaging the precious thing that God has given us, with such loveless behaviors?

Sistas, we must get out of this mode of painting a perfectly etched beautiful picture of ourselves, when on the inside, we are beat down, hurt, damaged, and disfigured! When are we going to stop this game of pretending?  When are we going to become honest with ourselves and say, look…….it’s time for me to get it together?  And mean it!  The only person that you are fooling, is yourself.  Others already see your self-destructive behaviors, but now is the time for you to see them as they are and begin working towards healthy behaviors that involve loving and taking care of yourself.

None of this is easy, but most things aren’t!  You may have to cut some people out of your life, or stop eating certain foods, or stop shopping, or stop lying about what’s really going on in your life, be truthful, and seek help to get true change.  You must take care of what God has entrusted you with. 

“Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God?  You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price.  So you must honor God with your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

So, I ask you Sistas.  Are you honoring God with your body?  And if so, does that honor reflect the love that you have for yourself?

Peace & Blessings,

Edquina