Five Things You Love about You

I’m borrowing this idea from Downtown Dharma, because it’s an excellent exercise in self-love.

Could you list five things you love about yourself?

I’ll go first.

   1. I serve and love the Lord

   2. I can draw and paint.

   3. I care so much about people and will help them if I can.

   4. Good listener, very kind hearted and loving ^_^

   5. I find myself funny, and love to make others laugh, and cheer them up.

What I found surprising is the lull that I experienced between points #4 and #5. Seriously, it took all weekend to write this blog. I’d like to think I have pretty decent self-esteem, but even I fumbled at complimenting myself.

You’d think it would be easy to be nice to yourself, but self-criticism and judgment just comes more naturally to some. It takes nothing to look at the negative, but the positive is always ducking behind a tree.

Remember a moment in your life when you look in the mirror and go: “I’m good enough. I’m smart enough and cute and pretty/handsome, people like me? It was funny and cheesy… but it was kinda on to something.

When’s the last time you said something nice about yourself out loud? If it’s been a while (or maybe never), you’re long overdue.

You can’t wait for people to notice the good things about you. You have to recognize and celebrate them for yourself. I mean, after all, if you don’t like you, who else will? Loving oneself is the healthiest thing a person could do, you must love yourself first and have confidence in yourself. Then relationships, friendships being great at your job, at school will be an easy process.

One of my mother’s many words of advice is: “Speak positive things about yourself everyday.” So go for it. Don’t be shy; toot your own horn. List five things you love about yourself and post it below.

You are good enough just as you are.

During your life, you will encounter people who will try to convince you to be dissatisfied and unhappy with yourself. 

These people will try to tell you your hair is wrong, 

your weight is wrong,  your height is wrong,

your color is wrong, your diet is wrong, 

your clothes are wrong, 

your high school and college courses are wrong, 

your religion is wrong, your job skills are wrong, 

your job itself is wrong, your career choice is wrong, 

your house is wrong, your kitchen is wrong, 

your cooking is wrong,  you yourself are wrong. 

The right thing to do is to observe yourself, and see for yourself the things that are right: 

you were good to someone, you learned something new, 

you taught yourself a skill, you completed another year of school, 

you grew taller, you learned to drive a car, 

you helped a neighbor, you repaired something, 

you painted a room, you successfully cooked something new, 

you straightened up the back yard, you served on a jury, 

you volunteered, 

and otherwise you progressed today — some of these things will not literally happen today, but they will happen, because you are good enough just as you are.

— Unknown

Wherever you are right now, and whatever you’re doing, stop for just a moment. 

Take a second and tell yourself “I love you.” It doesn’t really matter how much you believe it right now, in time you will come to see the truth in it. 

Then, allow yourself a short dance break and laugh as loud as you can. 

Your body can’t tell the difference between when you pretend to laugh and when the laughter becomes real. 

So laugh a lot. You’re body will thank you. 

Take this short time for yourself. You deserve it. You’re alive and beautiful. Celebrate.

Everyone is beautiful. Don't let anyone make you feel ugly, and never make anyone else feel it.