What
Is Your Most Precious Gift?
Have you ever been given a gift that was inside a box, inside
a box, inside a box; you kept unwrapping until you came to
a small box with the most beautiful gift inside, your heart’s
desire in this little box? Imagine your life as this gift!
The unwrapping of this life takes a whole lifetime. The most
exciting, engaging and energizing adventure there is, is the
journey into you.
Do
You Truly Love Yourself?
This journey took a turn for me twenty-six years ago when
I began contemplating what is known as the second great commandment
of Jesus, Love your neighbor as yourself. It was the AS
YOURSELF that rang in my ears. It seemed clear at
that moment that so many of our contemporary problems related
to not understanding what it means to truly love ourselves.
Is
Self-Love Ok With you?
This misunderstanding of self-love in our culture is, in part,
due to a limited vocabulary. Self-love has been condemned
in many circles as egocentric and selfish. Even Webster’s
New World College Dictionary defines narcissism as “self-love;
interest, often excessive interest”. I don’t find
this to be true self-love. Perhaps we could broaden our vocabulary
or change our definitions. Narcissism is not self-love but
self-deception; which ignores the relationship between self,
others, all that is. A person operating through this kind
of self-deception lives in a constant state of defense because
they cannot look at themselves honestly. The American culture
has nurtured too much of this attitude and we are all to some
degree under its influence. It is narcissism driving the materialistic
hunger for more and more stuff. That is not to say that stuff
is bad but it will never fulfill our underlying desire for
unity or happiness.
What Do I Mean By “love yourself?”
Loving yourself is not narcissistic.
Love annihilates fear. Loving yourself consists in supporting,
encouraging and growing the best version of yourself which
includes your “flaws” as aspects of the unique
and individual you. Love sees our “flaws” as the
fertile ground to be cultivated for growth to take place.
It is the places deep within you where you try to hide, deny
or believe there is something wrong with you that your greatest
gifts, like diamonds, are waiting to be mined. This creative
process of growing the best version of yourself is the highest
of your life’s purpose.
Do You Truly Love and
Appreciate All That You Are?
We have little understanding of or permission for what it
means to truly love ourselves. Fortunately, that attitude
is shifting. One way to begin shifting your own attitude is
to sign up for my free e-course on Fast Lane to a Positive
Attitude.
You Are A Unique Manifestation
of Love
Self-love is the fearless willingness to know yourself, to
experience, recognize and accept that you are a unique manifestation
of Universal Love. Whether she/he lives next door or on the
other side of the world, your neighbor is also a unique manifestation
of Universal Love. The interaction between self-love and love
of other is the second great commandment. Love is all there
is; some call this God, others use terms like Universal Love
or Energy, Higher Power. I believe it is many names for the
same Presence.
Contact
Marnie McNamara
marnie@primaryrelationship.com
615
376-9654 (CST)
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