I Take Off The Mask!

Here is a special edition of this blog’s best posts on loving yourself more!

LOVING YOURSELF THROUGH GOD’S EYES

In God’s eyes, there is no judgment, there is only acceptance. In God’s eyes, there is no pain too hard to bear nor weaknesses too weak to be overcome by His insurmountable strength.

God can embrace us wholeheartedly, opening us up yet sustaining us and healing us at the same time. God sees all our potentials. God sees our light when all that we can see are our shadows.

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NEVER LET YOURSELF DOWN

Never let yourself down. Take heart, for no matter how awful the accusations against you are, you are still a child of God.

This is the time when your love for yourself will be tested. Whether you will believe what others say about you, or whether you will stand your ground because you know yourself best.

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DIET AND LOVING YOURSELF

Today I’ve noticed how our diets are greatly related to our relationship with ourselves.

For instance, imagine for a moment being in charge of the food of your loved ones. Will you be happy if your loved ones almost starve themselves to death and deprive themselves of food that they enjoy? On the other hand, would you rather that they overeat and eat foods that will make them obese and kill them later on due to high blood pressure or diabetes? Of course not!

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SHOULD I FEEL GUILTY LOVING MYSELF?

It’s only the second day of my challenge to love myself more and I’m already feeling a bit guilty.

I’ve made quite a few purchases, expenses spent to pamper myself. In the evening, I’ve also continued applying a moisturizing lotion to my face. I wasn’t used to doing that before.

Now back to the “guilty” part. I wonder if we also feel guilty when we are being pampered or showered with gifts from our loved ones. Should we feel guilty?

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SEPARATING OUR MISTAKES FROM OUR SELF-IMAGE

When we make blunders, we feel we’re failures. When we have broken relationships, we feel we are broken too and worthless.

However, if we truly desire to improve our relationship with ourselves, we must learn to practice acknowledging our errors without eroding our overall belief in our worth.

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WHAT DO I LOVE ABOUT ME?

During this time of reflection, I’ve learned that I not only lacked love for myself. I’ve learned a shocking truth – that I’ve hated myself all these years. That was the reason I’ve found it easier to love other people. Because they were not as unlovable as me. But if I were to start out as a person apart from my current self, how do I become a friend to this person? What are the things I would appreciate in her? What do I love about me?

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How Do I Learn to Love Myself More?

We cannot
love others
in the truest sense
of the word,
if we do not even know
how to love
ourselves.

If we truly wish to love,
to give generously and sincerely,
we must ensure that
we are holding out
our overflowing cups.

Not our half-empty ones
waiting to be filled.

How do I love myself? How do I learn to love myself more?

1.BE KIND TO YOURSELF

One of my good friends told me that everyday, we have upon us the responsibility to make at least one person happy, even if it means being that person ourselves.

It may have been such a long time since you have thought about yourself. You’ve thought of too many things about others, but have forgotten the things that bring about your own happiness.

Discover them again.

List them down and read them over until your heart could remember once more.

Following are some of the things I enjoy:

1.Coffee
2.Chocolate
3.Early mornings, a lovely sunrise
4.Books
5.Music
6.Fried chicken
7.A drizzle
8.Computer games
9.Movies
10.Musicales, concerts
11.Paintings
12.Taking pictures of beautiful sceneries and simple folks
13.Taking a walk
14.Time with family and friends
15.Traveling

Now it’s time for your own list.

Things you enjoy:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

2. KNOW YOURSELF!

Being kind to ourselves
and doing the things
we enjoy
helps us discover
the person we truly are;
the person we may have
never known until now!

I urge you to know
who you really are;
in your eyes,
in your heart.

Know thyself,
especially your strengths.

Know that which is
beautiful.

Know that which is
loveable.

Know that which has made you
the unique and wonderful
person that you are!

You are not the good-for-nothing person you thought you were. In fact, you’re not that bad at all. You want to do good things! It’s just that we may have been afraid of ourselves for so long; we’ve been afraid to look at the mirror for fear of seeing some monster we do not wish to be.

My friend, would you kindly do something for yourself? Take a good look at the mirror today and see the beautiful one you have ignored for so long.

3. HELP YOURSELF GROW

Once you have discovered
who you really are,
you can start
the exciting journey
of growth
towards your
infinite potentials.

We should not be content
merely knowing who we are,
but always strive to be
the person we could still become!

Dream,

Seize your dreams,

Then dream again!

Only in flowing
can the river
remain to be a river.

Only in growing
can life prevail
over death!

SOARING HIGHER

Why should I be afraid to fly?
And why should I be afraid to try?
I was born to meet the sky;
I was born to meet the sky and fly!

I may fall once,
I may fall twice,
I may fall so many times,
But I will not fall always!
I will try again and again and fly!

Spread your wings now,
Get ready!
Let go of your fears
as you leave the ground.
Be prepared now, steady.
You’re getting better,
You’re flying faster,
You’re soaring higher up the sky!

List down the things
you’ve always wanted to do.

List down the things
you’ve always wanted to learn.

List down the places
you’ve always wanted to go to.

List down your dreams,
however big or small.

List down the kind of person
you’ve always wanted to be.

Go ahead.

a.Enroll in that photography class.

You are never too old to learn new things.

b.Make that hairdo change.

Surprise everyone (including yourself), with that cool change.

c.Climb that mountain.

Experience the physical and mental struggles along the way and bask in the glory of reaching the top after all that you’ve been through!

4. KNOW YOUR PURPOSE

It is not enough
that a man eats,
and drinks,
and sleeps.

It is not enough
that he breathes,
and that his heart
continues to beat.

Unless and until he knows his purpose,
he is not a man at all.

Spend time
away from the noise
and anxieties of the world;
away from the demands
and expectations of the crowd.

Listen to your inner self.
Hear the innermost desires of your heart.
Discover the task for which you were most equipped to do.

Know your purpose.

Do not be afraid to make mistakes.

And do not give up even if you fail many times.

Your mistakes will only bring you closer to the discovery of your true purpose – the role which only YOU can perform!

5. ACCEPT AND FORGIVE YOURSELF.

As much as we must learn to forgive others, so too, should we learn to forgive ourselves.
As much as we should learn about our strengths, so too, should we learn and accept our limitations.

The problem with us is that we often attribute every tiny bit of problem to ourselves.

In our obsession to be in control of everything, we consequently believe that anything that ever goes wrong is our fault.

Accept your faults.

Do everything you can to correct them.

But learn also that not everything is your fault. Learn that you cannot correct the things, which are beyond your control.

Stop trying to carry the burden of the world upon your shoulder.

Carry only your own cross.

That is all that is asked of you.

My friend, feel that you are loved,
not only by others, but first and foremost,
feel that you are loved
by your very self!

Starting this moment, can you promise yourself that you will be your own bestfriend?

Classic Love Poems

HOW DO I LOVE THEE
( Elizabeth Barrett Browning)

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, — I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! — and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

THE NIGHT HAS A THOUSAND EYES
(Francis William Bourdillon)

The night has a thousand eyes,
And the day but one;
Yet the light of the bright world dies
With the dying sun.

The mind has a thousand eyes,
And the heart but one;
Yet the light of a whole life dies
When love is done.

AT LAST
(Elizabeth Akers Allen)

At last, when all the summer shine
That warmed life’s early hours is past,
Your loving fingers seek for mine
And hold them close—at last—at last!
Not oft the robin comes to build
Its nest upon the leafless bough
By autumn robbed, by winter chilled,—
But you, dear heart, you love me now.

Though there are shadows on my brow
And furrows on my cheek, in truth,—
The marks where Time’s remorseless plough
Broke up the blooming sward of Youth,—
Though fled is every girlish grace
Might win or hold a lover’s vow,
Despite my sad and faded face,
And darkened heart, you love me now!

I count no more my wasted tears;
They left no echo of their fall;
I mourn no more my lonesome years;
This blessed hour atones for all.
I fear not all that Time or Fate
May bring to burden heart or brow,—
Strong in the love that came so late,
Our souls shall keep it always now!

The day we were wed,
no Church bells rang to announce it,
there was no red carpet,
there were no candles,
there was no veil nor cord,
there were no rings to bind our fingers.

I remember that day
when it rained,
and it drenched us both,
as we ran in the streets.

Oh what could be more dreadful?
What could be worse indeed?

But in truth,
I enjoyed the rain.
In truth,
I was blissful at the sound of your laughter.

My hands were trembling
as I held yours,
my tears falling like the rain,
not in sorrow but in joy,
not in frustration, but in love.

The day we were wed,
all the world hid from a gloomy day,
but two hearts didn’t care.
Two hearts heard only their own music,
as they blissfully danced in the rain…