Self-Love isn't Radical-It's Necessary.

Hello Empowered Wayers! The following article was first published on Medium in Know Thyself, Heal Thyself. I wrote it at a time that felt chaotic and uncertain. Now, the message of self-love is more urgent, as we stand on the edge of change at all levels of society.I share it with you now to ignite the spark of self-love in yourself. The world changes when you see it with love, not from your ego. Discover this truth for yourself and pass it on - it’s the only way the world will change.Imagine what would happen to the world if everyone said “I love you.” Not to another person. But to themselves.The radical nature of self-love would be unleashed, old wounds would be healed, and you would no longer carry the weight of the world on your shoulders.Instead, your joy would radiate out, captivate everyone who came in contact with you, and inspire them to practice self-love.It’s a radical approach, but when enough people are present to their inherent value and worth, it will change the world.Why don’t we love ourselves?You were trained at an early age to think of others before yourself. To make sure that your guests were comfortable and their needs met. To get good grades so your parents were proud of you.Society and culture also contribute to the turning away. Happiness is promised when the new phone or car is purchased. Fulfillment will happen when you land your dream job. Society never says to find and love yourself first before looking to the outside world. Instead, you were taught that to love yourself is selfish and should be avoided.The result of society’s teachings is a high rate of depression, suicides, and aggressive behavior. When we ignore the divine light within us, we become disconnected from our source. Disconnection is always the first step towards self-loathing, playing it safe, and giving up.Instead, learn to love yourself completely.Connect to an energy greater than you and nurture it in your awareness. As your consciousness expands to begin creating as this greater energy, your life will pivot from fear and depression to love and joy.You can only give what you have. If you despise yourself or believe you aren’t worthy, you will never be able to give to others more than what you have given to yourself.We accept the love we think we deserve.— From “Perks of Being a Wallflower”Now is the time to love yourselfYou have a choice. Either accept society’s teaching that self-love is selfish, or expand your heart space by loving yourself.You stand on the brink of that choice in every moment of your life. With each inhale of your breath and exhale, you make the choice. You choose between love or fear.Have so much love in you that it spills out into the world.As you heal yourself from the illusion of separation, your thoughts, beliefs, words, and actions will spring from connection. The impact of loving yourself will change your world.Two Daily Practices to Self-LoveFor the next seven days, say “I love you” to yourself at least 10 times an hour. By the end of each day, assuming you are awake for 16 hours, you will have told yourself that you are loved 160 times. Do that over a period of seven days and by the end, you will have told yourself that self affirming message 1,120 times!It’s powerful to stand in front of a mirror, look deeply into your eyes, and say with feeling, “I love you.” When you want to look away, be focused on your eyes. Try to see into their depths until you see the spark of love that is your birthright. That spark is your connection to divine love.The second daily practice is about gratitude. As soon as you wake up, set the intention that you will see gratitude in everything. No matter what happens to you during the day, gratitude will be your first response. You can even remind yourself by saying, “I am grateful this happened.”Being grateful is a powerful energy that carries you forward. When gratitude is combined with love, more of the same are attracted to you. You become a love-gratitude magnet and you can’t help but create and share from these affirming energies.When you step into self-love and know that you are here for a reason, the doubts and fears you have carried for so long dissolve. You become the optimistic, fearless creator of your life, which in turn impacts the world.Love yourself and you heal the world.Blessings,KathrynP.S. SelI am a best-selling author, Spiritual Wealth Coach for Women, and creator of online wealth courses. I write about the intersection of spirituality, energy, and the human experience. My latest book is “The Money Tree: Transform Scarcity Thinking to Empowered Wealth Consciousness.” Learn more at EmpoweredWay.com. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit empoweredway.substack.com