Elvira Burgo

Profound is the holding of hands of a loved one struggling to breathe.  All else fades away in that space and time.  Feeling loved, she dies with dignity.  So great is the moment of sharing innermost thoughts with another.  Or the welcoming of a friend into your home.  And a baby.  

The love of family and friends helps us on our life’s journey.  With love, life is more manageable.  It makes us feel wanted, sound, and happy.

Besides the love of family and friends, there’s self-love.  Self-love is crucial because when you love yourself, you can love others, and others can love you back.  I’m not referring to the type of love that lacks empathy and regard for others.  I’m talking about the love of self that benefits you and others.

The transformative kind.

Whitney Houston’s song,  “The greatest love of all, “ sums it up.  “Learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all.”  What great lyrics!

Self-love is the first step to building confidence. 

You are happy if you feel good about yourself; nothing anybody says will affect you.  But unfortunately, people tend to judge the outside appearance because that’s all they see.  Or, they may choose to overlook other things.  But maybe that’s all they know.

I’ve met some of the most beautiful people who don’t feel good about themselves.  Please hear me out:

YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL.

Allow your beauty to shine through in every way and in everything you do.  And let the world see your love.  

You have much to offer.

I want you to know that I value you and the sacrifices you make every day. Your children are happy and blessed to have you.  And maybe your spouse and other people feel the same way.

But your worth is not defined by others.  

Accept yourself with no condition.  I know it may sometimes be challenging, but do try (or fake it until you make it).  And protect yourself from the outside world and its influence.  It’s all right if society doesn’t accept you as you are.  We can’t change culture, but we can change how we look at ourselves. 

And so, are you feeling good about yourself?  If not, here are a few things I hope will help.

1.  Get in the habit of embracing compliments (www.betterup.com)

2.  Look at yourself in the mirror and ignore the inner critic.  Focus on things you appreciate about yourself (www.wikihow.com)

3.  Tell yourself a positive message every day.  Buy, read, and carry an inspirational card with you. (www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au) 

I wish you much love.

Thanks for reading,

Luis