This Valentine's Day, Love Yourself More

We've all heard the expression, "You can't love others until you love yourself.”

We smile and nod when someone says it, inwardly roll our eyes, and think,"how cliché."

What does it really MEAN, and why can't we truly love others until we truly and wholeheartedly love ourselves?

The answer is both simple and complex.

The world and all of its inhabitants can act as a mirror.

What we feel on the inside, we see on the outside.

If we feel angry and scared, we will view life as cold, cruel and terrifying.

If we take a look at our own personal INNER world and how we treat ourselves, we will also notice it is representative of how we treat others in our outer world.

The process of personal growth and discovery is a liberating one.

We do this by figuring out why the way we are, and why we do the things we do.

When we look at ourselves with wonder, curiosity and patience, we begin to solve the puzzle that is us.

We, for the first time, truly "get" ourselves. Our dreams, desires, actions, inactions, defense mechanisms, maladaptive behaviors and stories all make sense.

Through compassionate self-reflection and discovery, we not only understand ourselves, but can begin to forgive ourselves for the things we always perceived as personal flaws.

We became who we are for a reason.

When we realize this about ourselves, we realize this about others too.

It then becomes a whole lot easier to be understanding and empathetic for the behavior in other people that we once misunderstood and judged.

So love yourself harder, accept yourself more. Solve the mystery of "you" and embrace what you find with sensitivity and love.

When you do this truly and honestly, it has a ripple effect, and everything that comes after is a bonus.