“To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.” — Oscar Wilde
“If you can’t love yourself, how the hell are you gonna love someone else?” — RuPaul
Dr. Rick
Buddhist monk, author, and Nobel Peace nominee Thich Nhat Hanh teaches that love is the capacity to take care, to protect, to nourish. And if we are not capable of generating that kind of energy toward ourselves, if we are not capable of taking care of ourselves, nourishing ourselves, protecting ourselves, then it is very difficult—if not impossible—to take care of another person.
So how can we improve our ability for healthy self-care, self-nourishment, protection of our heart?
Consider this: Begin right now, simply by pondering that question. Try focusing every day, first thing in the morning, on improving your health and happiness. And every evening, be grateful for the day’s experiences. I call this “book-ending” your day.
It will take time—and mindful, conscious pondering—but you can make it happen.