The idea of not naming ourselves, of not putting ourselves first on the list of people we love the most. This might seem trivial at first, but it carries deeper implications we can’t even imagine. It speaks volumes about how we, as a society, have been conditioned to prioritize others over ourselves.
We, as an individual are taught to love others, support them, and care for them—but what about ourselves? The question had never crossed our mind, and we tend to neglect our own well-being, in favour of others, and try to always show up for everyone else. But, the question is, is self-care, self-love or self-well-being that important? Let’s find out.
The Absence of Self-Love
As a teenager, I was like most of the time people pleaser, I cared for what they said about me, so most of the time I used to try to make them happy, as we are taught. We are taught to respect elders even if they are not good with us, there was a time not even my peers but the elders around me used to point out my weaknesses, and still wanted respect in return. I stopped caring about myself and did what pleased them, in the process I lost myself.
They say we are meant to give all of ourselves to others—our time, our energy, our compassion. We are expected to nurture, to be there for everyone else, our friends, family and society, yes we do but only to an extent, without losing ourselves. And if we care for ourselves, we are questioned, we are selfish. We are conditioned to believe that self-love is selfish or even narcissistic, and the true measure of our worth is based on how much we love others, not how much we love ourselves. And here another question comes, I did everything, I loved others, I tried to please them, yet I gained nothing, why?
Realizing Self-Love is Essential
A Few years back, I was looking in the mirror, and the person I reflected on seemed to be sad and unhappy. I was there, standing alone, empty-handed. I stopped caring about others and nobody asked me, if something was wrong with me, the moment I truly understood the importance of self-love. I used to care about others, I had given so much time to caring and giving importance to others, yet I felt drained and lifeless. In the process, I forgot to love, care and respect the only person I needed most: Myself. I realised and started working on it. Surprisingly it changed a lot in me. Not only inside but outside too. It started glowing on my face and body, which I had been missing for years. Everyone around me started recognising me, admiring me, and above all respecting me.
We all wonder, what actually self-love is, that often taken as selfishness and arrogance.
What is Self-love?
Self-love is nothing but a little bit more care of yourself, putting your peace of mind first and then everything else. It's about realizing your own worth. It's not about being arrogant or selfish as most of individual think. Selfishness and arrogance hurt others, self-love does not. It's more about leaving everyone's opinion behind and focusing on self-improvement. It is truly about prioritizing your mental, emotional, and physical health.
Yes, you heard it right: Mental, Emotional, and Physical well-being are the most significant aspects of self-love. We’ll discuss these aspects individually. Self-love is a multifaceted concept that encompasses mental, emotional, and physical aspects. These aspects are connected and play a vital role in cultivating a healthy sense of self-worth, personal well-being, and overall happiness.
Stay tuned with us to learn more about self-love. The Consequences of Neglecting Self-love and the power of self-love.
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