Self-love is often misunderstood—it’s not about narcissism or treating yourself like royalty—though I’m not against an occasional bubble bath.
It’s about deep acceptance and peace within yourself. It’s knowing your worth and familiarity with the love that starts from “within.” When we love ourselves, we create a solid foundation for every relationship, interaction, and action we take. The more you embody that love, the more it flows outward. The good news? It’s infectious.
My book, The Book of BeLove, explains this very idea: When you embrace love for yourself, you unlock a power that can alter your relationships, your community, and, even better, your “life.”
Think about it: How can we imagine loving others deeply if we don’t first love ourselves? It’s like straining to pour water from an empty cup. Self-love is the water that fills your cup up to the rim, and when it’s overflowing, everyone around you benefits.
Let’s add a hint of humor. You know, because what’s life without a laugh? Here it goes: Why did the self-loving avocado never get jealous of the other fruits? Because it knew it was the pit of everyone’s heart!
Alright, I know, I know… I’m not winning any comedy awards here. But stay with me—there’s a bigger point hiding behind the avocado joke. It’s all about self-love. Just like that avocado, we all need to recognize our own value and embrace our inner “pit.” When we successfully do that, something magical happens: we begin radiating love, and that love doesn’t just stay inside.
It spreads, creating ripples of transformation that can change not only our own lives but the world around us. Sounds like a lofty goal? Well, let’s break it down further.
The chain of transformation breaks with the first idea—more like the magic formula: the more you accept yourself, the more peaceful and joyful you become. And this isn’t just about feeling good on the inside—it’s about showing up differently in the world. Instead of seeking approval or love from others, you begin to give love freely, without fear of rejection. And guess what? That kind of love is magnetic.
Take a moment to think about someone you know who releases these rays of “positivity.” They’ve got this aura that makes you feel peaceful, secure, and energized just by being around them.
That’s the power of self-love in action. It’s not about perfecting yourself; it’s about being welcoming towards yourself and embracing who you are, with the infamous imperfections and all.
As the wise RuPaul says, “If you can’t love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?” It’s all about starting from the inside and letting that energy spill over into everything you do.
And it’s not just about your subjective life—this rippling effect affects your society and relationships and extends its roots to your work. When you direct with love, people around you start to feel the change. They become inspired to love themselves more, to be kinder, to be more benevolent.
And before you know it, you’ve flared a chain reaction that’s bigger than you ever visualized. The world becomes a place where love is the norm, not the exception.
So here’s the challenge: practice self-love and wait for a while to observe how it ripples out into every single part of your life. Become the “difference” you like to witness in the world. After all, the more love you give, the more you receive. And isn’t that the type of world we desire to live in? Remember: the world needs more radiators of love. And it all begins with “you.”