We can spend so much time and energy trying to get others to fall for us, that we end up neglecting the person who we should care about the most: ourselves. The idea of falling in love with yourself might seem hilarious and absurd but think about your relationship with yourself. Do you consider yourself to be a friend to yourself, or are you constantly criticizing yourself?

Love for yourself isn’t about romantic affection or infatuation. It doesn’t mean you only love yourself or that you are unable to make wise decisions. It just means that you are always appreciating yourself and all your potential. The Buddha wisely said that, “You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection”

This will show you why falling in love with yourself is the best thing ever.

Not hurt by criticism

If you’re particularly sensitive to the criticism of others, it’s likely because you are hard on yourself. You look to others for validation and end up feeling even more stung because you didn’t get their full approval. Logically, you might know that people have the right to criticize (after all, having an opinion is everyone’s right). However, you might have trouble separating your thoughts from your feelings when criticized. When you fall in love with yourself, you can lessen the burden of criticisms. As your own biggest fan, you can give yourself support at a moment’s notice.

Confidence

Being confident isn’t a matter of doing things you know you can. Instead, it’s about doing things in spite of the chance that you could fail. People struggle with confidence because they believe that stepping outside of their comfort zones will backfire. It seems easier to go through life with what is familiar, even if it isn’t moving you forward in any way. Falling in love with yourself allows you to remember that taking chances is what makes life worth living.

Happier

When you love yourself, you become happier. Instead of looking for fulfillment through external means or the opinions of others, you can just appreciate yourself. Knowing that you are a special and unique person worthy of love is more than enough to put a smile on your face. Want to feel happy for no particular reason? Then, you should fall in love with yourself.

Accountability

If you don’t love yourself, it’s all the easier to lapse into bad decision-making. This can include procrastination, substance abuse, and associating with a bad crowd. However, if you do love yourself, you know better than to let yourself fall into bad behaviors. You want to look out for yourself more than anything else. There might be times of trouble, but you can remember your fondness for yourself and focus on improving your predicament.

Inspire others

Loving yourself will cause others to take heed. They’ll notice how you walk with your head up high and with no apparent self-consciousness. They might be amazed by how easy it comes to you. Little do they know that it was something you had to work at. If they ask about how you’re so positive, let them in on your secret. Tell about how much training and effort it took but also about how it was worth it.

 

Better chances of romance

Self-love and romantic love are different, but you need the first in order for the second to work. If you are desperate for love because you think it’s going to fill a void, you’re going to have a very unfortunate experience. A relationship should be something that enhances your love for yourself, not replaces it. When you love yourself, you can help avoid being with people who are incompatible or otherwise toxic. You’ll realize that your love for yourself will steer you away from dangerous relationships. This can also include avoiding friendships and familial relationships that are damaging to your self-esteem.

The joy of falling in love with yourself is that you don’t have to worry about it not being reciprocated. You show love for yourself, and yourself shows love right back. It’s a perfect balance that you’ll never sick of. As long as you love yourself undyingly, you can be proud.