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 with our loved ones. Should we feel guilty?
How about if we are the ones giving gifts to our loved ones? Do we feel guilty spending and buying things for them?
For me, this feeling of guilt explains a lot. If we feel guilty being loved, then in a way, we’re saying its not right to be treated that way, to be special and to be showered with all the affection we seem to be craving for and yet guilty of giving the same to ourselves. In a way, we’re saying WE DON’T DESERVE IT.
As to loving other people, maybe we should check our reasons for all the favors we do them. Is it because we’re just happy doing so? Or is it because we feel its our obligation? A necessary sacrifice to be made?
Come to think of it however, don’t you feel guilty of making yourself suffer? You may not admit it, but it will slowly show one way or the other.
It will show in your frustrated expectations, when you don’t get back anything in return. It will show in your anger. It will show in you blaming other people for your own unhappiness and for your inability to love yourself.
Do you feel guilty loving yourself?
Check Jocelyn's books:
"Of Waves and Butterflies: Poems on Grief", "Mend My Broken Heart", "Questions to God", "To Love an Invisible God", "Defending My Catholic Faith", and more - click here.
(You may freely quote excerpts from this website as long as due credit is given to author Jocelyn Soriano and the website itakeoffthemask.com)