"In any healing journey, there's no denying that loving oneself is the crucial first step"
"Self-love" is a common theme that frequently appears in healing-related posts on social media (and yes, it's abundantly clear that this blog also revolves around self-love!). However, what's often missing is an explanation of its significance and guidance on how to practice it effectively.
The question of "why" self-love matters is a fundamental one. Many famous Guru may say "because then we can learn to love others". Yes, it is true! Inherently, we as humans comprehend the world through the exploration of our own selves. Consider how babies begin to understand their surroundings through their first interactions with their own fingers. Similarly, when we know how to love ourselves in a healthy and genuine manner, we acquire the ability to extend that love to others in a meaningful way.
At Happy Empath Space, "Self-love" is a tool and an approach for daily practice. The ultimate reason, and goal, behind "Self-love" is to enable individuals to fully accept themselves. The aim is to free them from their internal struggles surrounding self-acceptance, helping them bridge the gap between what they embrace and like about themselves and what they find challenging or dislike. This process allows individuals to align their inner thoughts and emotions with their external expressions and actions.
When a person achieves this full coherence, they become completely present in life, entering an intrinsic state of happiness as they live as their true self. In this state, they open themselves up to the infinite possibilities that are inherent in their souls. This is the stage at which they can make their greatest contributions to the world.
In any healing journey, there's no denying that loving oneself is the crucial first step.
Regarding "how", in the following, I will share the steps I've developed and practiced on my own "I." These steps aren't a rigid formula but rather a result of my personal healing journey and observations while assisting others. I don't claim to have mastered them entirely. I believe, for our peace of mind and well-being, we must continue practicing them throughout our lives.
"Embrace that you are both the dark and the light"
Step 1: Embrace every aspect of yourself without judgment
The first step towards self-acceptance is to embrace every aspect and quality that defines you, without any judgment. This includes recognizing and accepting the contrasting traits within yourself. Imagine the positive qualities and personality traits you admire as "light," and the negative qualities you tend to hide or reject as "darkness." It's essential to adopt a neutral and objective stance towards both. Accepting the entirety of your being—both the light and the darkness—is fundamental to starting the journey of self-love.
This concept might seem straightforward, yet it poses a considerable challenge. Society, through our upbringing and education, often encourages us to highlight our best qualities while concealing what is considered unattractive or negative. This behavior stems from societal polarization, dividing people and their actions into "good" and "bad" categories. Such divisions not only oversimplify human complexity but also hinder the appreciation of individual uniqueness.
Society's norms and standards, which dictate acceptable thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, often reflect the collective perspective rather than individual uniqueness. While these norms can facilitate social order, they may also suppress personal growth and the exploration of one's full potential. Recognizing this allows us to understand why we might feel pressured to conform to certain ideals.
Acknowledging the existence of contrasting qualities within ourselves is crucial. Just as a cell molecule includes both positive and negative poles, we too embody a spectrum of traits. Every aspect, whether perceived as positive or negative, plays a role in shaping our complete selves. Often, qualities labeled as "negative" hold untapped potential that, once understood and embraced, can lead to personal growth and development.
To truly accept ourselves, we must first recognize and appreciate the diversity of our traits. This means understanding the nature of our qualities, respecting their expression, and treating them fairly, without preference or aversion. Embracing both the light and darkness within us allows us to love ourselves fully, without trying to mold our traits into something they're not.
Step 2: Understanding your diverse, polarized qualities and how they have been formed
(To be continued)
Dang Bao Nguyet
