A Valentine for You
Posted by Louise Hay
(The following is an excerpt taken from the CD "How to Love Yourself" by Louise L. Hay - Hay House.)
Unconditional Love is the Goal we are all here for. The heart’s job is to lovingly pump joy into our bodies. And all we have to do is get our negative thoughts out of the way and allow this to happen.
Here are 10 ways to love yourself more.
1. Stop all Criticism.
Since thoughts are creative, choose thoughts that are nurturing and uplifting to you. Make a vow to stop criticizing yourself now and forever.
2. Don’t Scare Yourself.
If you have a habit of magnifying negative thoughts 'til they frighten you- just stop.
Find an image of something you love, whether it is a sport, sunset, view, flowers; and switch your attention to that image whenever a negative thought comes into your mind. If you keep doing this, you will break the habit.
3. Be Patient, Kind and Loving to Yourself.
Your life, and your mind, is like a garden. As you select thought seeds that will contribute to creating the garden of experiences you want, realize that any resistance you may feel is part of the transition process. It may feel wrong at first, but like any new habit, all you need is practice. Give yourself loving attention.
Watch for the weeds of negative thoughts, and pluck them out as soon as you see them. Be patient as you grow, and try loving yourself a little bit more every day. After a few months, you will make great progress.
4. Be Kind to your Mind
Thinking well of yourself is an act of kindness that pays enormous dividends. Remember that every thought is an affirmation- the key is to make our thoughts positive statements that build us up, rather than negative statements that beat us up.
Here are some ways to be kind to your mind as you grow in love:
-Relax. Relaxation is essential to loving yourself. Let go, close your eyes and take 2 or 3 deep breaths. Release any anxiety. Let yourself be centered. Say to yourself: “I love you, all is well”. Do this several times a day and notice how you feel.
-Meditate. Create the space to quiet down and listen to your inner self. Sit or lie quietly, close your eyes. Ask “What is it I need to know?”
-Affirmations. Positive affirmations, when stated with intention, are powerful tools of transformation.
I am always safe.
Everything I need to know is revealed to me.
I release the struggle to try to make things happen.
Everything I need comes to me in a perfect time space sequence.
Life is a joy and filled with Love.
I am loving, and I am loved.
When I give out love, it comes back to me multiplied.
I prosper wherever I turn.
My income is constantly increasing.
I am willing to grow and to change.
I am open to new knowledge and new insight.
I am willing to let go of whatever doesn’t work anymore.
All is well in my world.
-Visualize Create a clear positive image to enhance your positive affirmations.
5. Praise Yourself.
Praise yourself as much as you can. Tell yourself how well you are doing at every little thing. Allow yourself to accept good, whether you think you deserve it or not. Remember that any negative messages are just thoughts, and thoughts can be changed.
To help you accept the good in the universe, ask yourself some questions, and find out what is keeping you from what you deserve.
"Do you think there is not enough money, or that you are not ready yet?
What do you have to live for? What is the purpose of your life, and what meaning have you created, what is your purpose?
What are you willing to do to receive the good you deserve? Are you willing to do affirmations? Are you willing to forgive yourself and others?
6. Support Yourself
It is being strong to ask for help when you need it, instead of trying to do it all by yourself, and being mad at yourself when you can’t make it. Allow others to help you; friends, support groups, healing circles, church groups.
7. Be Loving to your Negatives.
You created your negatives to fulfill a need. No need to punish yourself about this. Simply release what you are unhappy with and choose to create a more positive pattern. Here is an affirmation for positive change:
I really deserve only good in my life.
I allow the healing energies and power of the universe to flow through me and change my life for the better.
8. Take Care of your Body
Your body is the house you live in; Take care of it.
Find exercise you enjoy.
Food is fuel for our bodies, to help create new cells and give us good energy. Study nutrition, and be aware of how what you put in your mouth makes you feel. Notice what gives you good energy and what foods tear you down.
Explore healing therapies.
9. Mirror Work
So many people have changed their lives merely by looking in the mirror consistently and saying “I love you.” It is powerful.
Start your day by looking yourself in the eye and say “I love you, what can I do to make you happy today?” Listen to what you hear and then follow through.
Every one of us can use forgiveness on a daily basis. Forgiveness work can also be done in the mirror. Look into your eyes and say, “I forgive and I am forgiven. I forgive you for holding onto patterns for too long. I forgive you for not loving yourself.”
You can also talk to other people in the mirror; clean up old unresolved issues, or tell people things you would be afraid to say in person.
You can ask for love and approval; that is what we all really want. You can begin to ask and give this to yourself in the mirror.
10. Be Willing
You may not know how to love yourself, so you can say the affirmation: “I’m willing to learn to love myself.” This will begin the process and lead you to the next step.
Once you can love and accept yourself as you are, you can love and accept others as they are.
We can’t change other people. Leave them alone! So much energy is spent trying to make other people different! If we used half of that energy to change ourselves, our whole life would change to become a life filled with love.
The quickest way to change any problem in our life, is to love who we are.
