How Do I Love Me?

Ah, let me count the ways. Do I love me enough to properly care for my body so that I can learn life’s lessons and enjoy full physical and mental capabilities until I toddle off this mortal coil? Do I love and honor myself enough to follow my chosen path regardless of what others think … and to allow others the same freedom without judgment or disappointment? Do I love myself enough to expect the best from life? Do I love myself enough to allow myself to be successful? Do I love myself enough to make only life-enhancing decisions and take life-enhancing actions?

If you answered yes to all the above, you have no need to read any further.

However, if you found yourself unable to do that, you are among the larger percentage of human beings on this planet. Whether it is due to nature or nurture, many human beings grow to maturity without a solid base of self-esteem, which means they don’t feel lovable, smart enough or good enough to deserve even the smallest modicum of good in their lives. I certainly had a lack in that area, and it took raising my self-awareness and exerting a concerted effort to undo whatever events or actions caused me to feed into my subconscious those undesirable, invalid and false beliefs.

Here are some of the insights I have gained along the way. First of all, I realized that by the time we are three to five years old we have already placed in our subconscious beliefs that represent decisions we have made about life. These decisions may or may not be valid, but they reflect our vulnerability and budding self-esteem at the given moment. How much can a three or five year old know at that point? Not much. So many if not all of those beliefs that are fed into our subconscious may be invalid, but they become solidified and will, if not changed, determine every action, reaction, decision or indecision we will ever make throughout our lives.

We won’t even be aware of why we’re doing or not doing something. It is just an automatic response that is similar to those that keep us breathing and all our organs functioning when we’re asleep.

When I finally realized that there was something within me that was keeping me from living a good, happy and successful life, I decided to wake up, find out what it was, learn what to do about it, and do it. I did.

William James was considered the most influential of America’s philosophers and the father of psychology in this country. He said, “The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes of mind.”

He was right. Here are two concepts that changed my life: It is done unto you as you believe. And, when you change your thoughts, you change your life. I have made these truths part of my life for over two decades, and can guarantee that when applied properly and consistently, they work.

To assure your success, here are two, tried and true, chronological lists of positive statements-affirmations that when repeated for 30 days will become imbedded in your subconscious as your true desires. According to the experts, it takes thirty days to re-program our thoughts. Repeat these statements with resolve and feeling as many times a day as possible, silently, as well as out loud and by writing them out to set them firmly in your subconscious. Make copies and put them where you can see them throughout the day and carry them with you wherever you go:

I love myself. I love myself just the way I am. I love myself regardless of the circumstances in my life. I love my body just the way it is. I love my life just the way it is. I love everything and everybody in my life, for I know I have created my life as it is and drawn all the people and circumstances to me. I know that as I love and accept myself, my body and my life the way it is right now, I will then be free to move forward and create the life I desire. And So It Is!

When you have methodically and faithfully completed 30 days on the above, begin the set below and repeat them as often as possible for another 30 days:

I now choose life. I choose health. I choose success. I choose abundance in every area of my life. I choose love. I choose loving relationships. I choose to trust in life and in myself. I choose to give the highest in me for the world, and to receive the highest and best in the world for me. I choose abundance, happiness, joy, love and peace, pressed down and running over. And So It Is!
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Copyright 2008 by Fern Stewart Welch

The author’s book THE HEART KNOWS THE WAY—How to Follow Your Heart to a Conscious Connection with the Divine Spirit Within is available at Amazon.com and other online booksellers, as well as through major bookstores such as Barnes & Noble and Borders.