Ways we don’t love ourselves
Apr 18th, 2008 by spaceagesage
In her book, You Can Heal Your Life, Louise Hay writes of her belief that lack of self love (not self-centered vanity or arrogance) causes many of our illnesses. She includes this list of ways we don’t love ourselves:
- We scold and criticize ourselves endlessly
- We mistreat our bodies with food, alcohol and drugs
- We choose to believe we are unlovable
- We are afraid to charge a decent price for our services
- We create illness and pain in our bodies
- We procrastinate about things that would benefit us
- We live in chaos and disorder
- We create debt and burdens
She adds that we are not loving ourselves when we deny that which is good in us in any way or when we devalue our self worth in any way.
I know that when I buy into or live by self-limiting thoughts — I am not good enough, I will be seen as weak if I ask people for help, I shouldn’t even try for that new job — I end up being stuck in a rut of negativity and perceived inability. I have been closely monitoring my hay fever this season, and I know that my sneezing fits are always preceded by a thought of doubt, fear, or being overwhelmed.
Funny thing is, we were not born burdened with these thoughts. They come later. Someone else who has their own issues of fear or insecurity or self-loathing passes them on to us. This means the thoughts can be changed.
Hay has her clients “pick up a small mirror, look into their own eyes, say their name, and ‘I love and accept you exactly as you are’.”
I laughed when I read the very next section in her book when she adds, “Seldom do I get a calm reaction.”
But the sad thing is, whether a person believes in affirmations and in Hay’s take on health and illness or not, just what is our reaction to looking in the mirror and saying those words? Most people I know have a hard time with saying those words genuinely.
How about you?
Wow, what incredible insight!!! It’s very much what my new website promotes- changing our attitudes to live a healthier life. I would love it if you checked it out- http://www.flipitforlife.com.
If you like what you see, please pass it on.
flipitforlife — Thanks! I checked out the news story about you and your site. Great job! A family member of ours is in the hospital right now with cancer. If she does nothing, she has 3 months. If she goes through chemo and all the other stuff, they can’t say what will happen. Thanks for getting out more awareness about cancer and health!
3 months, wow! I really hope things work out for the best. Hang in there and stay in touch.
-Lauren
PS- Thanks for checking out the site. If it does nothing but get the word out, then we’re still satisfied!