Self-love
I’ve heard the scripture about loving your neighbor as yourself from the time I was a young kid in Sunday School, and I’m sure we’ve all been taught the golden rule from early childhood, “Treat others the way you want to be treated.” I’ve come to realize that often times we park at that first part, and talk all about how to love others, yet we rarely bring to light that in order to love your neighbor as yourself, you actually have to learn to love yourself. Some might say that to put yourself first or to take care of yourself before you take care of the needs of others is selfish or arrogant. I beg to differ. I believe it’s essential. It’s absolutely necessary. How can we ever love others if we don’t know how to first love ourselves?
As I was thinking about this topic, plane safety guidelines came to mind. They tell you that in case of an emergency where the oxygen masks come down, you must put your mask on first before helping anyone else, which sounds kind of selfish, right? Why would I put my mask on before helping my child or the elderly woman sitting next to me? I did some research on this and found out that if you don’t get your mask on first, you will start to lose brain function, you will be unable to identify basic shapes and faces, and will quickly pass out, or even die. It would be impossible to help the one next to you. This is the same with our everyday lives. If we aren’t taking care of ourselves, we’re actually doing everyone around us a disservice.
Many times, we put others first and then find ourselves exhausted, burnt out, stressed, running on empty, and eventually our health- physical, mental, and emotional- goes out the window. How can we love others if we ourselves are falling apart? I’m here to give you permission this week to TREAT YOURSELF!! Do something this week that makes YOU feel happy and gives YOU peace…even if that means saying no to someone or cancelling previously made plans. That might look like a bubble bath with a face mask and a movie. Maybe it’s a TV show binge with your favorite snacks kind of day. Maybe it’s walking around Target, kid-free for an hour, or going out to dinner with your closest friends. It will look different for everyone. I’d like to invite you to sit down for a few moments and ask yourself, “What do I need this week in order to feel refreshed?” Then make a plan and do that thing! Add that into your schedule. For me, my treat myself moments often change. Sometimes that looks like a cup of coffee, worship music playing, and filling out the pages in my journal. Other times it looks like needing my community and getting together with friends. Sometimes, it’s just driving around backroads with the windows down. I have to do self-check-ins and pay attention to what my soul needs. I know that I’m no good to anyone around me if I’m not taking care of myself.
Taking care of yourself also looks like positive thinking and speaking to yourself. I read a study recently that said we have 12,000-60,000 thoughts a day, and 80% of those are negative. 80%!!! Friends, we are better than that. We would never talk to the ones around us the way that we talk to ourselves. So, as you make a plan this week to do something that gives you life, I also encourage you to make a list of affirmations to read over yourself every day, find life giving scriptures and repeat God’s word over you. You are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14), you are the head and not the tail (Deuteronomy 28:13), your life has purpose (Jeremiah 29:11), you are an overcomer (Revelation 12:11), etc.
Lord, thank you for every person reading this blog this week. Thank you for the plans that you have for their life and for supplying every need they have. I ask that you speak to their hearts and help them to see what they need in order to take care of themselves this week. Help them to have grace for themselves and give them permission to love themselves well. Let each and every person reading this know how much they are loved and adore by you. Thank you for being a good Father to all of us! Amen.
I would love to hear from you, the plans that you are making or the affirmations/scriptures you are declaring. Send me an e-mail through the contact page, or message me on social media!!