To Love Myself Well

Love is a foundational ingredient to wellness. Several studies suggest married people live longer, are more likely to survive cancer, and are less likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease. That daily dose of love must be helpful!

In 1 Corinthians 13:13, we read that out of faith, hope, and love, the greatest is love. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (1 Corinthains 13). In Luke 10, when an expert of Jewish law asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life, Jesus responded, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind. And love your neighbor as yourself" (Luke 10).

Even the Beatles know, "All You Need Is Love."

Consistently, I try to love others well--learning my boyfriends love language so I can best show him how I care for him, sending friends notes of encouragement in the mail, showering family with love on their birthday etc. But I struggle with loving myself well. Without going into the whys of my struggle, I would merely like to share a poem I jotted in my phone in the notes after a self-love session as the benefit of taking 60 minutes of my day to go on a trail run was, without question, monumental to my mental state at the time.

My feet pounding the uneven dirt
Every step, my body screams in remembrance of its desire to quit
But as my mind softens and clears, I silence my muscles and turn on overdrive.
Miles of trails yet to conquer
A myriad of thoughts to process and release.

Plans and dreams, fears and qualms surrendered.
My mind inches toward freedom and carelessness.
My inner self fights for solitude and peace
A moment in time with no worries, only gentle and pure ease.
A fractional juncture of silence to regain mental composure.

This is my drug, my booze,
My happy place, of sorts.
The physical pain a mere hindsight as mental stability returns.
I am strong, and capable, and willing to endure.
One more step, Wild Child.

The notes following expressed my state of mind--overwhelmed. But by spending 60 minutes working out, something I love to do, I regained composure and confidence to tackle whatever it was that had, clearly, consumed me.

Will you love yourself well today? Will you take a moment to pray or meditate? Workout? Make a delicious and healthy meal? Paint your nails? Whatever it is that brings you joy, do it.

Live fully, love wholly, rejoice daily.
KC
xoxo

P.S. Please comment below-- How do you love yourself well? OR How are you going to start loving yourself well?

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