Love is in the air...

We've all heard it countless times before, "To experience true love, we first must love ourselves," or some variations of such. Remember that we are all created out of love. We accept and love other people, animals, nature, all that comes from the same source as we do. We too then, are worthy of our own love.

In celebrating Valentine's Day, I wanted to write about love (it's in the air we breathe!). Loving yourself is about fully embracing oneself, realizing the strengths and accepting the flaws. Self love is not about being self-centered or egotistic which is based on insecurity and not knowing one's true self.

Think of it this way, if we truly love ourselves we know that we do not need to be the best looking, most talented, or have the most possessions. When we love ourselves, we are able to give love freely to others without fear of being hurt or used. We love ourselves enough to not allow others to take advantage of us. And, when we are secure in our love of self, we attract the love of others.

To learn to love yourself, treat yourself the way you treat those you love. Here are some ideas for you to think about:

1. Be kind to yourself, giving yourself all that you need to be happy and healthy.

2. Show yourself a good time by doing things you like.

3. Eat well and take care of your body.

4. Say nice things to yourself (post-it notes with positive affirmations around your house is helpful!).

5. Compliment and praise yourself, just as you would a friend, family member, or lover.

6. Encourage yourself when you're feeling down.

7. And most importantly, say the words that we all long to hear. Look in the mirror and tell yourself, "I love you." This can be difficult, but it's a powerful tool in acceptance and self love. It may not be easy, you may feel foolish at first, but you can do it. Even if you don't feel it right away, keep doing it.

Love yourself first and you will be able to truly love others and to be truly loved in return. Remember to always follow your heart, listen to your inner voice, continue to become your own soul mate, and stay open to love that come your way.

The journey of finding of finding a relationship, whether it is for friendship or love interest, begins with being in good relationship with yourself.

Have a happy Valentine's Day with lots of self love and loving others...