In my therapy group yesterday, we discussed self love — a topic that I, myself, love.
I loved that my social work intern, Justine, told the group about a Buddhist monk who was perplexed that people in our culture have so much difficulty with self love. The group talked about how it’s so much easier to love others than to love oneself.
I asked the group members to practice self love by writing down their positive qualities. As I expected, all the lovely and lovable members of the group found that difficult. To help the process along, I told everyone to write down the word “beautiful.”
Here’s my list of self love:
Besides loving myself and my work, I love my Primary Care Physician, Dr. Laura Snydman. I think Dr. Snydman loves her work; I KNOW she loves her incredibly lovable dog.
When I saw Dr. Snydman yesterday, she told me she always checks my blog the day after our appointment.
Hi, Dr. Snydman!
Do you love yourself, dear readers? Do you love any of the pictures I took yesterday?
Do you love this YouTube video about self love?
I love that I end each blog post with gratitude. Thanks to all who helped me create this self-love post and — of course! — to you!
The Year(s) of Living Non-Judgmentally 
Thanks for being awesome, Ann. I can say that. I’m happy about myself today, too.
Thanks for being awesome, Mark. We can both say that.
You are so beautiful, dear Ann, Thank you, Love, nia
It takes one beautiful person to know another one, Nia.
Love,
Ann
What a beautiful expression. Thank you, dear Ann, have a nice day and weekend, Love, nia
As usual this reminded me of our old groups at options, I have allot of self love, thanx to you!
Thanx, Lena!
Love,
Ann
Ann, I love this! It’s a wonderful reminder that I need to practice much, much more self-love. Sometimes I’m so self-less that I fear they’ll be nothing left of me! Your posts are always so uplifting. (PS–I want all of those cats! :))
Your comments are always so uplifting! I love them.
What a beautiful post. You have such a kind doctor too and I love her dog. 😊
What a beautiful comment. I have such kind readers, including you! ❤
You are awesome and amazing, Ann, and I love hearing about the awesome and amazing people in your life.
Thank you for being an awesome and amazing person in my life, Maureen.
There’s a scene from Frasier that’s always stuck with me, in an episode where his ex-wife Lilith, speaking of his brother Niles, says, with her classic deadpan, “I simply responded with the genuine spontaneous emotion I was feeling at the moment. But, if Niles is not mature enough to accept that, if he is so pitifully insecure, if he is in such need of validation, then I guess for some sense of familial harmony, I do apologize.”
And Niles hugs her and gushes, “Oh, Lilith, thank you! Oh, this bad blood between us has gone on far too long! Next time you’re in town, we’ll have dinner, just you and me!”
Frasier explains, “He doesn’t get that kind of validation at home, you see.”
That comes to mind as a possible reason why self-love might be difficult for some people: lack of validation at home.
Thank you for responding with the genuine spontaneous emotion you were feeling at the moment, Chris. I feel very validated. ❤
“You might as well love yourself. You have to live with you the rest of your life.”- Jerry Lewis (“The Nutty Professor”)
Thank you, Alan, for another lovely and un-nutty comment.
I love the photo of your Awesome Ann List! It inspires me to make my own Awesome Elouise List. 🙂
I love that you are making a Awesome Elouise List and I’m sure there are many entries on it.
you are pretty awesome Ann. I remember as a kid the saying was you have to love yourself first, and then others will love you.
It takes one awesome person to know another one, Lisa.
What! Undo a lifetime’s instruction? (Yes, my tongue is in my cheek – but…..)
Yes, Derrick!
🙂
You are beautiful Ann 💛
Love you, Val.
Love you too ❤️
Myself agrees with your post.
I love that!
hello ann koplow its dennis the vizsla dog hay it has ben my ekspeeryense that kitties do not hav a problim with not luvving themselvs enuf!!! and us dogs of korse luv evrywun!!! but hyoomans ar way mor komplikayted!!! ok bye
A lovely, heartfelt post. Thanks for sharing. I have a poetry blog here on WordPress and today’s poem is about self acceptance and love in case you have time to look? Wishing you a fulfilling day ahead, Sam 🙂
Many thanks for the love, Sam. I accept your invitation to visit your blog.
Thank you! 🙂
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