Do you believe you are worthy of your own time? Love? Money?

Do you dress up for no other reason than because it pleases you?

Do you treat yourself with the love, care and respect that you would someone else?

Whether you are in a relationship or looking for love, most of you know that self-love is the path to true love. You know the most important relationship you will ever have is with yourself. And you know that it can be difficult to truly love anyone else if you don’t honestly love yourself.

Though, for many of you this knowing is not often reflected in your behavior.

For most people, there is a belief that without a romantic partner they are incomplete. (For those of you in a relationship feeling complete may be dependent on your partner doing and saying exactly the right thing to make you feel good.) Though this idea that happiness is dependent on someone else is a surefire way to give away your power, your potential and your joy.

In the beginning, it might feel weird, doing things like buying yourself flowers, treating yourself to a movie alone or watching a sunset solo. However, these simple acts of love towards yourself are the kind of action steps that can bring you the fulfillment, happiness and LOVE you’ve been searching for that can only be found within you. It’s in taking responsibility for the amount of love that you create and allow in your life the draws more love to you. Yes, it really can be that simple.

I can promise you that when you proactively plant seeds of love in your life, they are certain to bloom. Though just like a seed, in order to bloom you must push through the dirt (aka your fears and limiting beliefs). Many people believe on some level, often due to childhood wounds, that they are not worthy of love. If dad left, mom wasn’t there for you, or you experienced a less than perfect childhood (you and everyone else in the world), then subconsciously you may have blocks to fully experiencing love. So sometimes, as they say in many 12 Step programs, it is easier to act yourself into a new way of thinking than it is to think yourself into a new way of acting. For this reason, small and simple acts of self-love may be the key to shifting your beliefs and opening your heart to the love that is waiting for you.

While I do believe you can love others without fully loving yourself, I know that self-love is the foundation to long and lasting, happy relationships. I also know that success in any great relationship is two people taking full responsibility for themselves.

So starting today, no matter what your love life looks like, I encourage you to make time to create love that lasts through self-love.

In order to help you stay accountable I am inviting you to take the Seven Day Self Love challenge. Will you commit to doing one act of self-love every day for the next week and see what shifts? Please share below the one thing you will do today to plant your seeds of love.

Remember that self-love is not selfish and that you can only give away what you have.
@terri_cole (Click to Tweet!)

So fill up your own cup in order to bring your best, happiest, most loving self to every encounter. The love that you seek is within you, put your focus on it and watch what blooms. And as always, take care of you.

Love Love Love,

Terri

Terri Cole is a licensed psychotherapist, transformation coach, and an expert at turning fear into freedom. Sign up for Terri’s weekly Tune Up Tips and follow her on Twitter.

Image courtesy of Doug88888.