Most of us could not identify the lack of love we had for ourselves; the relationships we chose to participate in, the dangerous situations we found ourselves in and the destruction we did to our mind, body and spirit. When we are in the grips of our disease we adopt a new belief system, one that allows us to survive in the chaos and insanity.
Becoming physically sober is the first step, but to just be physically sober from drugs and alcohol is not enough. You may have heard many people say “if only I could stop drinking and using everything would be fine.” That unfortunately is far from the truth. Many of us drank and used to escape, to find relief. Once the drugs and alcohol are removed we are left with exactly what it was we were seeking relief from to begin with. This is where the work begins! Yes, work with an exclamation point because learning about you is actually a very freeing experience that is vital to achieve any length of sobriety.
So what does all this have to do with learning to love yourself? Well here it is; self-love, self-care, self-esteem and self-worth, whoa! Sounds like a foreign language right? Don’t worry I am going to give you 7 easier and softer tips to gaining self-love;
- Take a Self Esteem Inventory.
- Set Realistic Expectations.
- Set Aside Perfection and Grab a Hold of Accomplishments… and Mistakes.
- Explore Yourself.
- Be Willing to Adjust Your Own Self Image.
- Stop Comparing Yourself to Others.
- Say Positive Affirmations to Yourself.
Don’t make it more complicated than it is. Sometimes we need to hear these things cut and dry for it to make sense, which really is the easier softer way. Want to know the biggest secret to making all of this possible? Brace yourself… “Learn to love to learn about yourself.” Don’t be afraid to find out who the real YOU is.
reblogged from http://claritysoberliving.com/learning-to-love-yourself/
