Week 4: What is Self-Love? [7 Week Self-Love Party]

 Week 4 is about discovering....what truly is Self-Love? We can often hear or see the word plastered around like a slogan, but yet not many truly know what to do with it or what it really means. How does one love oneself? If we don't know what it truly means, then how can we practice it? So let's explore!

🚫 What is NOT Self-Love?  True Self-Love is:

• Not arrogance, selfish, superficial or egoistical
• Not about gaining praise from others or external validation 
• Not about comparing with others and hurting others for self-benefit 
• Not about using self-care as a method of survival  
• Not a temporary soothing fix to stop the Inner Child from continuing with a tantrum or negative pattern 

It is a mythical negative image that Self-Love means being self-absorbent or so full of themselves to the extent of behaving like Snow White's evil step-mother, only caring about themselves in selfish greed and arrogantly belittling all others as below them. But this is so very far from the truth of what Self-Love is. Yet most people still have an inner resistance when they think about Self-Love and how to love themselves....as though it is the hardest thing to do in the world.

❤ What is true SELF-LOVE?  True Self-Love is about building a continuous loving relationship with Yourself based on: 

• Self Acceptance: to accept yourself fully as you are and know that you are already enough
• Self Trust: to trust yourself in every process and release patterns of self-doubt, self-criticism or self-abandonment 
• Self Respect: to respect yourself as a worthy equal to any other being
• Self Compassion: to practice compassion towards yourself with understanding, patience and love
• Self Stewardship: to fully care for, take responsibility for your healing and protect yourself as your own guardian always

Put simply, Self-Love is your true love for yourself. It is a continuous practice of learning and establishing that an external Prince Charming cannot give you the eternal happy ever after and true love you crave, because this true love needs to come from within you and be directed towards yourself.  

The task in Week 4 is to create your very own 'Self-Love Mascot'! Start brainstorming and thinking about the following:

• What you loved as a child? (Eg. childhood favourite cartoon, toy, story book, snack, photo, games, heroes, interest, etc.) 
• What you love as an adult? (Eg. your favourite pet, animal, character, food, hobby, art, music, activity, country, language, etc) 
• How does what you love as a child and as an adult reflect the meaning of true Self-Love (looking at the pointers above)? How can you make this magical mascot your reminder of true Self-Love?

Then combining the ideas of what you loved as a child and your favourites as an adult as inspiration to create a 'Self-Love Mascot' that is unique to you and made from what you love. Be curious, experimental, imaginative, creative, playful and follow your heart. You can draw, doodle, paint, sew, cut, fold or write...in your journal, make a mask as a symbol, or on a piece of paper as a standalone art piece to be openly displayed. Just like a child bringing home their very first art piece to be displayed proudly on the fridge. Because self-love can only come from love. This mascot becomes a fun and creative reminder as well as symbolic cheerleader to love yourself as you are, no matter what you look like or what roles you play in life, you are worthy, unique and enough just like your mascot. 

Remember that Self-Love is a continuous practice throughout life, and just like any relationship it needs to be built bit by bit over time as well as effort. But it will be one of the most meaningful and beautiful journeys you will take. So have fun and allow your Inner Child to dance!

 

Until the next time,

May ❤