The Nature of Loving Yourself

To love yourself means to accept yourself as you are and to come to terms with those aspects of yourself that you cannot change. It means to have self-respect,  a positive self-image, and unconditional self-acceptance.
Needless to say, it does not mean being arrogant, conceited or thinking that you are better than anyone else. It means having a healthy regard for yourself knowing that you are a worthy human being.
It is important to remind ourselves that no one is perfect. We all have strengths and weaknesses and we certainly possess the resources to work on improving ourselves.
Each of us is unique and has specific talents and abilities to offer. We are all here, in the words of Walt Whitman, "to contribute a verse".
In order to appreciate yourself it is up to you to discover what makes you unique and to further develop those talents. We have a responsibility to ourselves to do so.
You cannot sit around and wait for approval from others. Work on accepting yourself. You are the only "you" that you have. It is in your best interests to be the best you can be.
Until you love yourself, you will not be able to love anyone else. You can only love another to the degree that you do yourself.
How do you love yourself?
You do so by investing in and working on your personal growth and development. You work on being the best you. You understand that you are human, but you acknowledge that you have the potential and spiritual capability to rise above whatever conditions and obstacles are put in your path.
When you love yourself you endeavor to take care of yourself physically, mentally and emotionally. You take care to look and feel your best by nurturing your body, mind and spirit.
Conversely, if you don't love yourself enough, start taking care of your body, mind, and spirit. You will not only become more self-aware, you will generate feelings of worth and accomplishment.
Your Body
You take care of your body by eating well, exercising and getting plenty of rest. There are many wonderful books available that can help you learn what types of food and exercise are good for you and your particular body type.
Your Mind
Your mind needs nourishment and exercise too. Don't take it for granted. Stimulate it by learning about new and interesting things. Keeping your mind active helps prevent certain old age diseases such as Alzheimer's and dementia. Keeping the neural connections of your mind active helps maintain memory and brain functions at optimum levels.
Your Spirit
If you take care of your mind and body but neglect your spirit, you will lack balance and feel that something is missing in your life. Taking care of your spirit rejuvenates you, and helps you deal with the daily stresses and challenges of everyday life.
When you love yourself, you invest in your personal growth and development. You endeavor to be the best that you can be, and you strive to achieve your potential.