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"Loving the skin you’re in"
Let me begin by sharing the findings of a fascinating study that demonstrates the link between your self-image and your mood. In the experiment, normal weight individuals were split into 3 groups, ‘under’, ‘average’ or ‘over weight’ according to a fictional height-weight chart. The researchers found the normal weight people allocated to the “overweight” group showed an increase in depression and a decrease in self-esteem (even though in reality their weight was normal) compared to the people in the other two weight groups. This study shows the importance of never basing our self-image upon the opinions of others and having a positive and loving self-image.
When you were born you knew your own magnificence. You loved yourself completely without any limiting conditions because you hadn’t learnt not to! Nor did you question your self-worth by comparing yourself to others. You were innocent, present, and loved the skin you’re in. If you don’t believe me, take a moment to imagine the ridiculous scenario of a new born child looking down at their belly and thinking to themselves, “Jeez, I really need to lose a few pounds!” It simply wouldn’t happen.
However, as many of us grow up we can have experiences that cause us to question our lovability. Perhaps as a child you needed some love but it wasn’t available at the time or maybe you didn’t do as well as your school friends in an exam and that caused you to decide you weren’t as good as others. Or maybe you’ve taken a relationship break-up personally. Irrespective of how it happened, enjoying true health and happiness often involves falling in love with yourself and giving yourself a well-deserved pat on the back:
Step One: Rate how much you love yourself. On a scale of 0 to 10 (with 0 being no love and 10 being absolute unconditional love) how much would you say you love yourself right now?
No love for self 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Absolute unconditional love
Step Two: If your score is less than 10, then list the things you think you need to change or improve about yourself or your life in order for it to be OK for you to love yourself.
The things on your list are the unnecessary conditions that prevent you from loving yourself completely now. By definition, ‘unconditional love’ is loving without conditions. The moment reasons are required to justify your lovability, the love for yourself becomes limited. However, the truth is there are no rules or requirements when it comes to what it takes to be ‘deserving’ of love.
Loving the skin you’re in means you stop waiting until you are this, that or the next thing before you appreciate your inherent infinite worth. Every human being is divine (irrespective of how they look, how much money they have or what they’ve done in the past etc) and it is your birthright to know you are loveable, exactly as you are now.
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