Self-Love Through Gratitude

Photo booth picture
of my soon-to-be-husband & I

I am walking the path of learning to love myself in a new and deeper way.

I have moments of deep love and compassion and I am amazed that I am capable of it. And as I learn to love myself more, I see a change in the way I love others. I have so much more compassion than I even thought possible. Of course, that feeling also leaves me, but it doesn't disappear without a trace like it used to. Even when I am stuck in traffic, ready to scream, a deeper peacefulness seems to come over me. I have access to a love and compassion now that I didn't think was possible.

I remember when my husband and I got married - we had a blessing ceremony where everyone gave us a small token that symbolized what "love" meant to them and what we, as a couple, meant to them. I said thank you to each and every one of those people and when I talked with family and friends after the ceremony, that's what stood out most to people - how deeply grateful I was to every single person that was present. And as I thanked each person for their love and support, my own self-love grew a little deeper. Authentic gratitude really does lead to deep, non-egotistical, self-love!

Here are some inspiring quotes about the link between compassion and love that I have been collecting:

"You yourself, as much as anyone in the entire universe, deserve your love and affections." ~ Buddhist teaching

"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion." ~ The Dalai Lama

"Until he extends his circle of compassion to include all living things, man will not himself find peace." ~ Albert Schweitzer