In the fall of 2021, I was teaching yoga to a class of 3rd-grade children.

At the end of a short meditation, I told them to give themselves a self-hug and say, “I love myself.”

A little girl immediately raised her hand and said, “My brother says that if I love myself it’s selfish.”

I replied, “There are many people who would agree with your brother, but loving yourself is not actually selfish. When we are selfish, we only think about ourselves. But loving ourselves means that we take care of ourselves. And when we take care of ourselves, we have even more to give to others.”

When we take care of ourselves, we also give more joyfully, because it is easier to give from a full cup than an empty one.

How can you fill your cup?

• Speak kindly to/about yourself.

• Make time to do activities that bring you joy.

• Rest when you need it.

• Listen to your heart.

• Create a loving space for yourself to feel ALL of your emotions in a healthy way.

• Give yourself hugs! :)

• Be gentle with yourself.

• Be patient with yourself.

Simply put, treat yourself the way you want others to treat you.

Unconditional love means to love without any conditions.

Everyone wants to be loved that way, so why would we think that it is selfish to love ourselves that way?

I have found that as I learn to love myself and my perceived imperfections, I cultivate even more love and compassion for the world and for all of the people in it.

I believe we can create a loving world, and I believe it starts with each individual loving and accepting him/herself.

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Self-Love Affirmations:

• I love and accept myself exactly as I am.

• I believe in myself and know that I can accomplish anything.

• I am empowered, and I empower others.

• I am confident and capable. My confidence inspires others.

• I value myself, and I value others.

• I am gentle with myself.

• I communicate my needs clearly and compassionately.

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"You yourself,

as much as anybody in the entire Universe,

deserve your love and affection."

~ Buddha

A flower takes the nutrients that it needs in order to grow. We do not call it selfish.

It is okay for you to meet your needs, too.

When you take care of yourself, you add even more beauty to the world.

This is a photo that I took of one of my mom's sunflowers. 💛

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May you always feel the LOVE that surrounds you.

❤️💜🧡💙💚💛

www.livinglovewithlaura.com