How do you love yourself?

What does loving yourself really mean?

What is doing you, living your truth, living the authentic self and self love really about?

You see, I didn’t know that I didn’t know myself… until I didn’t know myself. 

I thought I knew myself. I thought I was doing me. I thought I was living authentically.

I didn’t know that I didn’t love myself until I didn’t love myself. 

The day I started getting curious about this very question was the day I started to reflect on my life. What I discovered was I did not love myself. Heck, I barely knew myself. 

So began my inquisitive journey of asking myself questions and getting to know me…
Who the hell am I? 
Who am I showing up as in this world? 
Is this who I want to be?
Who do I want to show up as? 
What do I love about myself?
What qualities do I appreciate about myself?
What do I want to be for those I love and care about?
What change do I need to make to feel more alive and connected to my best self?
How can I give myself what I need most?
How can I focus more on what I want?
In what area of my life can I reveal more of who I really am?
What am I willing to let go of in order to feel more alive, in flow and free?
How do I want to feel?
What actually lights me up on fire about myself? 
How can I love myself more today?

And I continue to ask these questions. 

You see, I didn’t know or love myself or know how to love myself, because I had never made myself a priority. I had never studied myself. There is no judgment here. It is just awareness of how easy it is to not know or love ourselves. 

We study math, english, social studies, science. We study communication, biology, chemistry, accounting, finances. Then we study how to raise a child, how to be a better parent and wife. Then it might be on how to how to start or grow a business. The subjects are limitless. Which is amazing! 

But how often do we spend time studying our lives and ourselves? 
How we were raised?
How that plays a role in who we are today? 
How we think? 
How we feel? 
How we act? 
Why we think, feel and act the way we do? 
How we want to think, feel and act?
What lit up our lives when we were younger, but doesn’t play a part in our lives today? 
What is the beautiful and powerful story of me and who do I want to be in this next half of my life?

Just as if we are in a new relationship, we get to know the other person.
What they like? 
What excites them? 
Why they like the things they do? 
What interests them? 
And we touch back with them after time, because things change. And yet, we don’t do this with ourselves. 

And so I had my “aha”. 
What if I learned about me? What if I learned about what makes me tick? What makes me excited? What makes me…well, me. What do I love about me?

I love that I am wildly passionate. 

I love that I can light up a room with energy, excitement and laughter.

I love that I’m adventurous, courageous and bold.

I love that I am deep, analytical and brave.

I love that I wear my heart on my sleeve.

I love that I love to help others.

I love that I am empathetic and compassionate.

I love that I dig deep to understand life and myself and don’t just go with the crowd. 

I love that I am willing to step outside of the box to be me and to think large.

I love that I believe in myself and those around me.

I love that I am willing to risk.

I love that I am learning to be true to me.

I love that I love to laugh.

I love that I am optimistic.

I love that I enjoy learning. 

I love that I have a genuine curiosity in myself, others and life. 

I love that I believe in each of our personal powers, including my own.

I love that I speak from the heart.

Now…as I write this….WOW. It is uncomfortable. Each time, it is uncomfortable, a little less each time.
And yes, all of the inadequacies want to sneak in and make their appearance. 
But not here! 
Not now! 
Not today! 
Because I made a promise to myself. 

I made a promise to know and embrace my amazingness, my beautiful, my wholeness and my loving self just as I am. 
I accept my idiosyncrasies and know that I am doing my best. I am continually learning to be me. To be the best version of me each day that I can. And when I am not, I will still love me just as much for showing up and being me. I will embrace all aspects that make me…me. 

It’s a journey, my friends. 
A beautiful, unfolding, brilliant and meaningful journey. It’s uncomfortable, but it’s real. It is what each of us deserves and is meant to do in our lives. Love ourselves more so we can love others more. We are here to let ourselves feel more love, to be loved and give love.  

Finding and living with self love is continually releasing and letting go of all of the beliefs, habits and insecurities that are holding us back from being our true selves. It’s about peeling back the layers, like an onion. And when you peel back the layers we find your truth. You find love. You find YOU.

My promise to myself: I will love myself - fiercely!
My hope for you is to do the same.

Join me on this amazing adventure of more self love!

XO Kristine