By Arielle Giordano
“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”—Buddha
In 1956, psychologist and social philosopher Erich Fromm proposed that loving oneself is different from being arrogant, conceited or egocentric. Loving oneself means caring about oneself, taking responsibility for oneself, respecting oneself, and knowing oneself (e.g., being realistic and honest about one’s strengths and weaknesses).
How we feel about ourselves influences our relationships with lovers, friends, acquaintances, coworkers and family. People with healthy self-esteem have better friendships and relationships. They are open to asking and seeking help when they need it, and they have the ability to be loved and give love to others.
Dictionary.com defines self-love as: An instinct by which one’s actions are directed to the promotion of one’s own welfare or well-being.
Here are some tips on practicing self-love this month:
Awareness: Be aware and connect to a deeper beingness of what is real within, the inner and greater essence of you
Acceptance: Love and accept the way you are. Know you are okay exactly the way you are.
Honesty: Be profoundly honest. Have the courage to know, see and face your inner obstacles, fears, resistance, positive and negative traits, and notable qualities.
Healing Your Heart: Dealing with old hurts and wounds and abandonment issues can be painful. Most people have experienced a sense of abandonment either from childhood or previous relationships. Being stuck in resentments, harms, scars and dark places keeps you anchored in past pain. You can deal with and heal these wounds alone or with the help of others.
Letting Go of the Past: Be conscious of your thoughts, feelings, reactions, responses and patterns. Avoid attracting the same negative person or situation into your life. Be mindful of the lessons learned from past experiences. Discover the golden nugget of wisdom and integrate the lesson to move forward in your life.
Dance and be LOVE: Surround yourself with people who love and support you. Enjoy spending quality time loving you and others.
Intimacy of Being: Be love, for that is what you truly are at your core. Be the love that you want to receive. Become the person you want to love. Be the person you want to find in a relationship.
Transformational Life Coach Award-Winning Author & Speaker, Professional Dancer. Arielle’s Award-Winning book for Best Self-Help Award: Dancing With Your Story From The Inside is available on http://www.Amazon.com. Her professional career includes the Lead Faculty Area Chairperson and Professor for the College of Humanities, History and the Arts at the University of Phoenix. She is a published co-author of Transform Your Life Books 1 & 2 and author for Tampa Bay Wellness, Conscious Shift & Transformation magazine. She has published her 4th book, an Instructor’s Manual for Barlow Abnormal Psychology 4th ed. and authored Psychology, A Journey 3rd.ed. Study Guide published by Nelson Education, Toronto, ON. She has also studied philosophy at the College of Integrated Philosophy with John DeRuiter for twenty years. Arielle has been a featured guest on radio and television, in newspapers, and the media across the US and Canada. She is a certified Essentrics Stretch and Dance Instructor. Arielle offers coaching sessions, classes and workshops and a free 30-minute Consultation. Arielle’s new book Dancing with Your Story from the Inside Out is now available on http://www.Amazon.com. Websites: http://www.dancingfromtheinsideout.com, http://www.ariellegiordano.com. Email: agbeautifuldance@gmail.com