Did you know that loving yourself is even more important than loving someone else? It may sound challenging, but improving your self-esteem through love and acceptance is possible. Let’s explore how.
How many times do you say “I love you” to yourself each day? Five times? Ten times? Starting today, challenge yourself to say it a hundred times a day. Believe it or not, many of my clients don’t say it to themselves at all, and they notice a significant difference when they start practicing this simple habit. Of course, you can choose other uplifting phrases like “I like you” or “you are amazing.” Before we continue, I invite you to go to the mirror. Say these phrases to yourself at least five times, and then we can continue our conversation through this text.
1. If we are not accustomed to being loved unconditionally, it is difficult for us to feel self-esteem.
Let’s be honest—many of us haven’t experienced what it truly means to be loved unconditionally. We may not even understand the depth of that kind of love. We’re not used to hearing someone tell us, “I love you and respect you no matter what happens, no matter what you do.” And even if we do hear those words, few people genuinely mean it with all their heart. This lack of unconditional love shapes our self-esteem in profound ways.
In reality, love without conditions forms the foundation of genuine self-esteem. If we’re not accustomed to receiving unconditional love, it becomes challenging to truly cultivate self-worth.
2. Breaking Free from Childhood Conditioning: Embracing Self-Love and Appreciation
From a young age, most of us were conditioned to believe that love and respect were only attainable when we met certain conditions. We were the “good child” who sat quietly or the one who took on the family’s problems while neglecting our own needs.
Does this sound familiar? Have you ever been that “good child” only to find that as an adult, others took you for granted? You’re not alone. I’ve experienced this myself, and I’ve witnessed it in many of my clients. It’s time to break free from this cycle of desperately seeking validation from others and shift our focus inward.
Instead of waiting for external love and appreciation, let’s start saying “I love you” more often to ourselves. Why? Because it feels good, it sounds good, and most importantly, it’s a fundamental act of self-care that can help us overcome the challenges we face in our daily lives. Together, let’s explore how this simple practice can bring about remarkable transformation.
3. The Price of Success: The Hidden Toll of Constantly Striving for Acceptance
In our relentless pursuit of acceptance and love, we often find ourselves working tirelessly, to the point of exhaustion. One of my clients had a unique upbringing. From a tender age, she was conditioned to believe that asking for love was out of the question. Instead, she devoted herself to taking care of others, going above and beyond to solve all the family’s problems.
With her hands blessed with a touch of magic, she wasted no time in establishing her own business after graduating from technical school. Relying solely on herself, she achieved incredible success. You might think this is a cause for celebration, and to some extent, it is. Her unwavering determination allowed her to flourish in the business world.
She didn’t rely on others for help, choosing to conquer everything on her own. This determination propelled her forward, bringing success in the business sector. And yes, it’s undoubtedly something to be proud of, but it came at a cost. When I met her, she was on the verge of a burn out.
4. Embracing Love Amidst the Business Chaos: A Path to Building Self-Esteem
In the midst of running a busy business, it’s easy to dismiss the importance of love and emotions as something we simply don’t have time for. This perspective was shared by this clients if mine in our initial session. She candidly expressed, “Eleni, I can’t prioritize love right now. My focus is on overcoming burnout and conquering my drinking habit. Love and emotions seem like something meant for little girls, not someone like me managing a business. I see that you embody it, but I just don’t have that”.
Respecting her perspective, I didn’t push her to delve into the magic of love and emotions right away – Yeah, it’s magic don’t you think so? IInstead, our channeling sessions gradually unveiled hidden aspects of her heart, allowing her to explore and embrace love in her own unique way.
5. Embrace Your Inner Child: Empowering Self-Esteem with Unwavering Love
Despite the years that have passed, we all carry within us the essence of that little girl or boy—a part of us that may have never truly experienced the meaning of self-esteem or received the appreciation we deserved from our environment. As my client progressed in her journey, it became evident that she was slowly reconnecting with this inner child, even though she initially resisted embracing its existence. Yet, this crucial step became the foundation for enhancing her self-esteem, understanding that she is both this tender and resilient individual—a strong woman capable of remarkable growth.
Interestingly, we often hesitate to fully embrace and explore this new dimension of our personality, fearing that it will disrupt our lives and cause us to lose the things we hold dear—our job, our friends, or even our family. These fears are not unfounded; they are shared by both me and my clients. That’s why, together, we navigate a path of transformation that seamlessly integrates into your everyday life. It may involve ending a relationship or reevaluating professional aspirations, but rest assured, we’ll ensure that you always maintain control over the changes we make.
Throughout our series of sessions and the heartfelt WhatsApp Channeling messages I shared with her, a profound transformation took place. She began to uncover the intricate relationship between her present daily life and the hidden emotions, pain, and self-sacrifice she had carried within her for so long. Together, we embarked on a journey of healing, encouraging her to acknowledge and release the pain that had been weighing her down. You see, the more we bottle up inside, the heavier the burden becomes—I’ve experienced this in my own journey as well. However, let’s stay on track and not deviate from the topic. (As you might have noticed, I am a lover of true stories, narratives come alive by the essence of life itself. Please forgive me if I occasionally digress; I do so out of deep love and admiration for this remarkable person who has traversed such deep valleys. Just like our lives, this blog is multi-dimensional, resembling a trunk filled with countless drawers— with hidden treasures nestled amongst everyday objects like towels and cutlery 😉)
6. It’s Time to Love Yourself: Celebrating Your Worth in the Present Moment”
When will you strengthen your self-esteem? Let me ask you this: When is the perfect time to start loving yourself?
Is it tomorrow?
When you finally finish your work?
Or when the kids grow up? Maybe it’s when you wake up or when this crisis finally subsides?
My answer is simple: The best time to love yourself is right now!
Don’t let others take you for granted, and most importantly, don’t take yourself for granted. Embrace and express love towards yourself for all that you do each day.
You deserve love, appreciation, and self-care, and there’s no need to delay this beautiful journey of self-discovery. Let this moment be the start of a magnificent love affair with yourself.
7. Transforming Darkness into Radiance: my own story
During the darkest phase of my life, when despair and doubt clouded my every thought, I experienced firsthand the transformative power of gratitude. In the depths of my depression, I no longer believed in myself, in a higher power, or anything else.
In that fragile state, channeling became my anchor, keeping me resilient even when I felt anything but strong. I started uttering words of ‘thank you’ and ‘I love you’ to myself, even on days when my accomplishments seemed trivial. The simple act of appreciating small victories, like finding the strength to get out of bed each morning, became a profound achievement.
It soon became clear to me that any illness, especially chronic diseases, has the potential to harden and embitter us, or in contrast, to foster humility and compassion. We hold the power to choose how we perceive our circumstances and who we want to become in this life. Our freedom of will rests in our hands. While the spiritual world stands beside us, it is ultimately our decisions that shape our destiny. Today, I implore you to reflect upon the decision you will make. Even during the most miserable seasons of our lives, I chose love as my guiding light.
Let’s embark on this transformative journey together—one that leads us to self-confidence and self-love. Remember, we both deserve it, without any hesitation or doubt.
8. It’s time to release ourselves from the grip of judgment and embrace compassion
If you see someone who can’t even quit drinking or get up in the morning or anything else that seems normal to you, don’t judge. We never know what each person is hiding inside. The only thing we can do is start searching for the treasures we have hidden within us, behind every ‘this is not for me! It’s for little girls,’ which you might think many times when trying to say ‘I love you’ to yourself.
There will be that voice inside you that won’t take these things seriously. That won’t appreciate who you are. This precious soul. This precious part of your heart.
9. Unleashing Your Strength: Embrace Self-Love and Gratitude
In the face of challenges—life’s inevitable roadblocks—remember one thing: Keep going. Don’t ever give up. But here’s the secret—amidst your journey, don’t forget to pause and say those three magical words to yourself: ‘I love you.’ And as a bonus, add an extra ‘thank you’ for good measure. Why? Because you deserve it. You deserve appreciation for every little thing you do each day, and for the remarkable achievements you’ve already conquered, as well as those that await you
10, Embrace and appreciate not just your actions, but more importantly, who you are
When we take ourselves for granted, others inadvertently follow suit, assuming our value without truly recognizing it. So, let’s break this cycle. Let’s nurture unwavering self-love and ensure that we never overlook our own worth.