The day I decided to love myself.

Say out there, that love is the universal language in the world. All in some way, consciously or unconsciously we seek love in someone or something. Yes! Even you who make a strong fight against it. Seeking love, makes us seek the acceptance of those who care and in extreme cases, of any circumstance or person; because when you have no idea of your value, ''whatever'' or ''whoever it is'' seems enough to alleviate or feel that the need for love is filled. Believe it or not, this can be a constant headache in you if you sit idly by. So let's talk about self-esteem...

It is very difficult to love the rest of the world when there is a lack of love for yourself. See that when Jesus advises us to love others, he makes us this peculiar reference: "Love, as you are loved by you." (Matthew 22:39, NIV: The second-commandment-it looks like this: "Love your neighbor as yourself"). Perhaps seeing this point, you realize why your actions are scarce towards those you say love; If you love yourself little, if you forgive you little or nothing, if you judge you hard... be sure that you will offer that to those around you.

But what happens when the lack of self-esteem provokes the opposite, that is to say, that those around you have scarce actions of love towards you? Are them responsibility or yours? I'm sorry to tell you, but it's yours. I read this once: the way you think about yourself determines this reality: You're not being hurt by what others think of you. Many of those people are a reflection of how you think about yourself». For this reason the Apostle Paul was so interested in advising us on what to think of others as well as of ourselves: ''Philippians 4:8, NTV: And now, beloved brethren, one more thing to end. Concentrate on everything that is true, all the honorable, everything just, everything pure, everything beautiful and everything admirable. Think of excellent and praiseworthy things.''

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And you may think ''I don't know how to see the beautiful, the admirable, the honorable or the pure in me!'' for the simple reason that you are seeing your mistakes and apparent flaws; If you can't think well of yourself, speak well of yourself, see your own beauty, how do you expect others to do it with you? You are the one who marks to others the love, the respect and the value that you deserve. When I understood this, it was the day I decided to love myself. Stop being so hard with yourself. You need to start seeing yourself as God sees you. He not only sees the chaos, but also sees the beautiful gardens that have made it flourish in you. If the most impressive being decided to love you -He loved you first- why don't you do it?

This will bring healing of love to your life. This is the order: first let God love You (he already does but you need to let that love operate in you), then learn to love yourself and that is how you can love others you have around you. ''1 John 4:16 NIV: And we have come to know and believe that God loves us. God is love. He that abides in love, remains in God, and God in Him.''

I bless you and hug you!