Loving yourself?

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Monicathree

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We hear so much about loving yourself. What does that mean. What is a healthy love of oneself? To be honest, I don’t really think about this much because my thoughts go to the Lord, my husband and my kids. I don’t really think about loving myself. It also feels strange to me to pray for myself…except for forgiveness and guidance. But, it seems I hear this from especially women. I have 2 boys and a newborn daughter. I want to be a positive example to them, and especially my girl, because they say the most important role model in a child’s life is the same sex parent. Put it this way…I want to do better for my kids in certain areas then was taught to me. Thanks so much.

peace
 
Monicathree said:
pray for myself…except for forgiveness and guidance.
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People learn to love themselves different ways. Some feel so proud of themselves that they are this and that and think that they deserve it themselves. Some learn to love themselves by trying to feel or search something within themselves but not from God. Some others love themselves for knowing that God created them.

God wants us to love ourselves according to His way - do not commit suicide, do not harm yourself, etc…
 
I really liked your last line…loving yourself because you know God created you…That sounds like a healthy way to ponder this…thank you.

peace
 
Monicathree said:
I really liked your last line…loving yourself because you know God created you…That sounds like a healthy way to ponder this…thank you.

peace
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yes, but it is not easy to do. Some might complain why God created them especially when they have to deal with difficult time. If we know that every time we deal with difficulties in live, we have a better chance to get closer to God, then we probably really appreciate for being created.
 
That’s true. So many of us just can’t see that, though. But God has a plan for us all. I do find it hard to let myself feel His love even though He has shown me over and over and over. If I had the time to tell you how much in the past few years God has blessed me and my family…
I think the enemy uses this as a tool, doubt, worry, being really hard on yourself etc. Do you know what I mean??
 
Monicathree said:
That’s true. So many of us just can’t see that, though. But God has a plan for us all. I do find it hard to let myself feel His love even though He has shown me over and over and over. If I had the time to tell you how much in the past few years God has blessed me and my family…
I think the enemy uses this as a tool, doubt, worry, being really hard on yourself etc. Do you know what I mean??
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This is an interesting thread - right at time when I need it. Right smack dab in the middle of difficult times right now. I sometimes want to get angry and yell at God, “if this is what You want for me, then why go through the hassle”. I don’t, but I still have doubts, worries, and whatnot. Intellectually I “get” the power of God’s love and that He does love me and I should love me because He created me, but emotionally it’s harder to understand and even harder to accept.

Monicathree, I do agree with you that the enemy uses the things you mentioned as a way to try and make us walk away from God. Anything that could be used against us, he’ll exploit and try and make it so we do give up on God or spend time in worry, doubt, etc instead of praying to God (or Adoration, Rosary, etc).
 
Monicathree said:
We hear so much about loving yourself. What does that mean. What is a healthy love of oneself? To be honest, I don’t really think about this much because my thoughts go to the Lord, my husband and my kids. I don’t really think about loving myself. It also feels strange to me to pray for myself…except for forgiveness and guidance. But, it seems I hear this from especially women. I have 2 boys and a newborn daughter. I want to be a positive example to them, and especially my girl, because they say the most important role model in a child’s life is the same sex parent. Put it this way…I want to do better for my kids in certain areas then was taught to me. Thanks so much.
peace
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This might help.

If I wish to love God and others I must love all God’s creation.
If I wish to love God I must start with self.
If I wish to love self I must love God within me, God made me to His own likeness.
If I wish to love me then I must look after me because I am a tabernacle of God.
If wish to be a tabernacle of God I must cleanse it (keep clean, keeping sin away).
If I wish to keep sin away I must keep my eyes on Jesus.
If I wish to keep my eyes on Jesus then I must acknowledge Jesus as my Father, Mary as my mother, and the saints as my brothers and sisters.
If I wish to accept spiritual brothers and sisters then I will accept all people on earth as my brothers and sisters.
If I accept each person as my brother and sister then my love for them will not diminish it will not differ.
If my love for all those on earth does not differ then my love for Jesus would be as He wishes it to be.
Jesus wishes our love to be perfect as His is. For where there is true love God is in our heart and all His creation is loved for we love our self as He loves us.
We are one with God.

littleone
 
mylo said:
This is an interesting thread - right at time when I need it. Right smack dab in the middle of difficult times right now. I sometimes want to get angry and yell at God, “if this is what You want for me, then why go through the hassle”. I don’t, but I still have doubts, worries, and whatnot. Intellectually I “get” the power of God’s love and that He does love me and I should love me because He created me, but emotionally it’s harder to understand and even harder to accept.

Monicathree, I do agree with you that the enemy uses the things you mentioned as a way to try and make us walk away from God. Anything that could be used against us, he’ll exploit and try and make it so we do give up on God or spend time in worry, doubt, etc instead of praying to God (or Adoration, Rosary, etc).
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Remember Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians: 1, 5: “For as we share abundantly in Christ’s suffering, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.”

Paul also said in 1 Cor. 13, 5-7: Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."
 
I am sooo glad to read these replies. I actually got a little flu bug Monday and am recovering, so I am just getting back to the computer. I look forward to looking up this site above…

Is this a bad question…Did Jesus love Himself?? Cause I think of Him and the saints and the martyrs and all the sacrifice and I guess I am looking for the healthy and appropriate way.

Because as a wife and mommy, It just seems selfish, or am I being too hard on myself. I am very hard on myself. I don’t want to give my kids, especially my girl a bad example. I will look forward to this website.

peace
 
Monicathree said:
Is this a bad question…Did Jesus love Himself?? Cause I think of Him and the saints and the martyrs and all the sacrifice and I guess I am looking for the healthy and appropriate way.

Because as a wife and mommy, It just seems selfish, or am I being too hard on myself. I am very hard on myself. I don’t want to give my kids, especially my girl a bad example. I will look forward to this website.
peace
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It is a great question. Yes, Jesus loves Himself. His love is shown by the Love of the Trinity.

The Father loves the Son. Do you remember when Jesus was baptised by John on the Jordan River? The Father and the Holy Spirit were present and the voice of the Father coming from the Heaven saying

Mathew 3: 17: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased”.

The Holy Spirit is the love of the Father and the Son.

What does God do with His Love? He shares His Love with us all. How does He share? He offers His Death; He teaches us to live the right life; He corrects those who did wrong; he encourage those who want to do the right things. He sets us a perfect example to follow.

You love your kids, and you guide them with loving and caring. Just don’t be way too hard on yourself though. 🙂 you would be too stressful and some moment you will loose your temper - kids are fragile, and they tend to remember bad moment quite long.
 
Oh, dear water…thank you so much for your reply…just what I needed!

peace
 
If you love yourself, you take time for yourself, even if it means sometimes putting your needs ahead of others’ (you can’t take care of others if you aren’t well yourself).

Things you can do that are loving towards yourself include:
  • eat right
  • exercise
  • get adequate sleep / rest
  • spend time alone with God in prayer
  • spend time alone every once in a while (even Jesus went off alone)
  • make a spiritual retreat
  • schedule time to do things you enjoy such as reading, baking, or painting
  • pamper yourself every now and again
  • keep a journal to help cope with feelings of anger, sadness, etc.
I know that noone nowadays seems to have a lot of time, but we all really need to take time for ourselves so we don’t “burn out”.
 
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