To Love Yourself is the Start of a Lifelong Romance

Self-love is a buzzing word in social media, and of late numerous individual opinions are shared splitting into factions.

- ANKUR R GUPTA

One group considers self-love being self-centered and selfish. However, the other group feels it is like practicing a romance with oneself to fall in love with others.

As an individual, my opinion is more aligned with the latter group, romancing oneself. Self-love may often be seen as selfish because people confuse it with narcissism. However, this is a misconception.

Prioritizing your values and needs is not about being obsessed with yourself but about accepting, valuing, and caring for yourself. It is like the safety instructions on a plane: you have to put on your oxygen mask before helping others. If you fail to take care of yourself, you will not be doing fair justice caring for anyone else. Neglecting your well-being can often burn you out with resentment and frustration and you begin to feel like an empty cup. On the contrary, when you love yourself, you are more confident and happier, which makes you a better person to be around.

Self-love for me means taking time to do the things that make you happy and relaxed. Maybe, that's taking a yoga class, reading a book, going for a walk in nature, talking to a trusted friend or therapist when feeling low, or taking a mental health day off from work and routine tasks. It is all about carving out time in your busy schedule to do the things that bring you simple joy and help you recharge.

 Signs that exhibit you are low in loving yourself-