Love yourself. There, I said it. We've all heard it said time and time again that you gotta care for yourself- and you know what? It's absolutely true.

Do you know what else is true? You cannot give to others what you do not also have for yourself. If you are like me, then you constantly find yourself drained. You give and give to others because you care for them and want the best for them- and then at the end of the day you have nothing left for you. So, while those who you have aided and loved on are feeling better and happier, you have traded your strength for the burdens of others. Bottom line- you have to take care of yourself.

While "taking care of yourself" includes the obvious about getting enough sleep, eating well, taking care of your body and mind... it does include much, much more than that.

Learning to accept one's flaws is quite possibly one of the hardest obstacles to face on the road to happiness and self-love. Whether these flaws are ones that society has imposed on the mind, or ones that you have conceived to be inadequate traits, they all have the same negative consequences. Going in to a friendship or relationship with the intention of concealing and forgetting is NOT the right, healthy, or happy road to take. Much to my initial surprise, my flaws are what make me happiest in life. Once I surrendered my insecurities and self-conceived inadequacies and accepted myself for the beautiful, imperfectly perfect individual I am, my life got so much happier. Love yourself. There is no such thing as perfect. Resolve and charge yourself to be the best version of yourself that there has ever been. If you love yourself for exactly who you are, you will be able to love others more than you ever imagined. LOVE YOURSELF FIRST.

This is as much as a reminder for all my readers as much as it is for me:

“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection”

-Sharon Salzberg

“Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are.”
– Malcolm S. Forbes

“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection”

-Buddha

“How would your life be different if…You stopped allowing other people to dilute or poison your day with their words or opinions? Let today be the day…You stand strong in the truth of your beauty and journey…”

-Steve Maraboli

“Self-care is never a selfish act—it is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on earth to offer to others.”
- Parker Palmer

“Until you value yourself, you won't value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it.”
― M. Scott Peck

Love yourself, love yourself hard. Love yourself so that you can love others. You've been given this life; love it, others, and yourself as much as you can.