A Self To Love
By Dr. Lisa Templeton, Ph.D.
We are connected to a magnificent energy that can uplift us and transcend darkness. This energy is love. We are conditioned to believe that we are unworthy of love in this world when the truth is that we are the main ingredient to the creation of love. In every moment, we have the power to generate love.
We are told that if we look at our light or give ourselves love, we are selfish. If we boast of our talents, we are arrogant. In truth, we must acknowledge our strengths, as well as our weaknesses so we can be aware of ourselves and continue to grow in love. How easily we can forget what is true for every single human being alive. We all have within us a want for love, we all carry an essence of life that can open hearts, and we all look for connection in love.
The illusion of separation from each other and ourselves keeps us pining and looking outside of ourselves for something more. In actuality, there is no separation. We are as connected to each other as we are unique. An openness to all of our differences, as well as similarities can guide us to connection. Love is not outside of ourselves. Love is within. The only way to heal this division is to build bridges, not walls. Start within yourself. If there are walls within you, work to bridge them together with love. One bridge at a time, we link ourselves and each other back together. Love is the glue that holds everything together.
Don’t give all of your love away to others without acknowledging yourself and offering this energy within. It is from within ourselves that love is created and can continue to expand. If we hate on ourselves or even bicker and criticize about ourselves, we are not bridging with love. If we truly are all equal as human beings, no one is an exception, including yourself. Love radiates, love is attractive, love opens doors and clears paths. Love always stands out in a crowded room and is a shoulder to lean on when feeling low.
Why then does it seem so hard to love ourselves? Self-love has been associated so much so to being selfish and narcissistic that many shy away and even feel straight up guilty for doing anything good or beneficial for themselves. Giving ourselves love for many feels uncomfortable and foreign so we avoid this and look outsides of ourselves for love from others. When this does not come, we again shame and criticize ourselves. This is a never-ending conditioned pattern!
When we give ourselves love, there is a beautiful self inside of ourselves to love and this love brings more connection. Once we acknowledge the light within ourselves, we can notice it more often. Hate only spreads more hate and is really about protection of ourselves. With love, there is connection and protection. Love has no boundaries and no conditions.
We all deserve love, so why are we not giving it more readily to ourselves? What we say to ourselves, we are subtly spreading into the world. Spread love, not hate; spread connection, not separation. Slow yourself down, understand this inner truth and start within yourself to listen to any kind of hate or non-supportive dialogue.
Once you notice any thoughts not in service of love, tell yourself “Stop” and try to say what you would to a loved one. Give yourself a compliment, fulfill an inner request, or name to yourself one or two of your strengths. How does it feel? Foreign, awkward, selfish, or narcissistic? Check and challenge any of these old thoughts and remember what is really true. Love is healing and if we all deserve it, you are no different. To tell yourself you are different and that you don’t deserve love is unjust.
If you don’t like the thoughts you notice, work to change them, believe that you can change them with practice. Nothing can change until you own what you want to change and be the change you want to see. Set your intent to gain trust and respect of yourself and re-build the bridges of love that have been swept away by self-judgment and the judgment of others in our lives. We must continue to connect and see the value of others in our existence and remember that the connection between us all unites us into one while each person’s distinctiveness offers color and texture into the beauty of our world.
By Dr. Lisa Templeton, Ph.D.
We are connected to a magnificent energy that can uplift us and transcend darkness. This energy is love. We are conditioned to believe that we are unworthy of love in this world when the truth is that we are the main ingredient to the creation of love. In every moment, we have the power to generate love.
We are told that if we look at our light or give ourselves love, we are selfish. If we boast of our talents, we are arrogant. In truth, we must acknowledge our strengths, as well as our weaknesses so we can be aware of ourselves and continue to grow in love. How easily we can forget what is true for every single human being alive. We all have within us a want for love, we all carry an essence of life that can open hearts, and we all look for connection in love.
The illusion of separation from each other and ourselves keeps us pining and looking outside of ourselves for something more. In actuality, there is no separation. We are as connected to each other as we are unique. An openness to all of our differences, as well as similarities can guide us to connection. Love is not outside of ourselves. Love is within. The only way to heal this division is to build bridges, not walls. Start within yourself. If there are walls within you, work to bridge them together with love. One bridge at a time, we link ourselves and each other back together. Love is the glue that holds everything together.
Don’t give all of your love away to others without acknowledging yourself and offering this energy within. It is from within ourselves that love is created and can continue to expand. If we hate on ourselves or even bicker and criticize about ourselves, we are not bridging with love. If we truly are all equal as human beings, no one is an exception, including yourself. Love radiates, love is attractive, love opens doors and clears paths. Love always stands out in a crowded room and is a shoulder to lean on when feeling low.
Why then does it seem so hard to love ourselves? Self-love has been associated so much so to being selfish and narcissistic that many shy away and even feel straight up guilty for doing anything good or beneficial for themselves. Giving ourselves love for many feels uncomfortable and foreign so we avoid this and look outsides of ourselves for love from others. When this does not come, we again shame and criticize ourselves. This is a never-ending conditioned pattern!
When we give ourselves love, there is a beautiful self inside of ourselves to love and this love brings more connection. Once we acknowledge the light within ourselves, we can notice it more often. Hate only spreads more hate and is really about protection of ourselves. With love, there is connection and protection. Love has no boundaries and no conditions.
We all deserve love, so why are we not giving it more readily to ourselves? What we say to ourselves, we are subtly spreading into the world. Spread love, not hate; spread connection, not separation. Slow yourself down, understand this inner truth and start within yourself to listen to any kind of hate or non-supportive dialogue.
Once you notice any thoughts not in service of love, tell yourself “Stop” and try to say what you would to a loved one. Give yourself a compliment, fulfill an inner request, or name to yourself one or two of your strengths. How does it feel? Foreign, awkward, selfish, or narcissistic? Check and challenge any of these old thoughts and remember what is really true. Love is healing and if we all deserve it, you are no different. To tell yourself you are different and that you don’t deserve love is unjust.
If you don’t like the thoughts you notice, work to change them, believe that you can change them with practice. Nothing can change until you own what you want to change and be the change you want to see. Set your intent to gain trust and respect of yourself and re-build the bridges of love that have been swept away by self-judgment and the judgment of others in our lives. We must continue to connect and see the value of others in our existence and remember that the connection between us all unites us into one while each person’s distinctiveness offers color and texture into the beauty of our world.