I have struggled my entire life with the feelings of worthlessness. I didn't grow up with my parents, but was raised by my grandparents, and suffered almost of decade of sexual abuse at the hands of my grandfather.
I spent most of my early adulthood struggling with determining what a healthy meaning of love was. I went through one dysfunctional relationship after another until I reached a point where I was alone and struggling to go on.
It was at this point that I attended a Workshop and I was finally able to realize that the love that I needed was my own. I had to come to terms with the fact that I may be alone for the rest of my life but as long as I loved myself, that was what mattered. The moment I learned to truly love myself, was the moment that my entire life changed. It was like that was what had been holding me back from true happiness and all the blessings that life had for me.
I developed a passion for life, and discovered my true purpose. Within 2 months of making this change, I met the man who in just 8 short months, I would marry. Had I not learned to love myself first though, he never would have been able to love me. I would have maintained my self-sabotaging behaviour.
Here are the things that I learned in order to allow myself to be loved the way I deserved:
1. Self Love is the only love that you need at the end of the day, do not rely on outside validation
2. You set the bar for how people love you. Remember they will only treat you how you allow them to
3. If you love yourself then you need to love your body, so if you don't like something you either need to change it or accept it
4. It's necessary to take quiet time for yourself to refresh and refocus
5. The best self love is free, but it's okay to treat yourself every now and again.
6. When you love yourself you will understand the importance of living a life of Purpose
