{"id":7371,"date":"2025-05-09T03:05:06","date_gmt":"2025-05-09T03:05:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lifereader.co.nz\/articles\/?p=7371"},"modified":"2025-05-09T03:05:06","modified_gmt":"2025-05-09T03:05:06","slug":"do-you-truly-love-yourself","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifereader.co.nz\/articles\/do-you-truly-love-yourself\/","title":{"rendered":"Do You Truly Love Yourself?"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Ann:<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/span><\/span> It\u2019s a confronting question\u2014especially when you find yourself accepting poor treatment from a partner, friend, or employer. <\/p>\n

If you’re tolerating disrespect, neglect, or emotional harm, it’s time to ask: Is this love for myself? Turning a blind eye isn\u2019t self-love\u2014it\u2019s self-abandonment.<\/p>\n

At some point in life, we all must reassess what serves us and what doesn\u2019t. This often means letting go of people or environments that no longer support our growth. That\u2019s not easy, especially when love is involved, whether it\u2019s with a partner, friend, or even a job.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s talk about work. How many people stay in jobs that make them miserable just for the paycheck? Yes, we all have bills, but the cost of staying in a toxic job is stress, illness, and a loss of joy. If you dread going to work every morning, it\u2019s time to find something that uplifts you. Your happiness matters\u2014and it\u2019s your responsibility.<\/p>\n

The same goes for relationships. You cannot grow in dead soil. Wasting your time and energy on people who don\u2019t value you, gossip about you, or consistently let you down isn’t noble\u2014it\u2019s harmful. If you keep saying you\u2019ll make a change, but never do, ask yourself why. Often, we stay stuck because we fear loss or confrontation. We become people-pleasers, prioritizing others\u2019 comfort over our own peace.<\/p>\n

But being a people-pleaser comes at a high cost. The truth is, loving yourself sometimes means walking away from people you care about. Growth requires hard choices, but you are the only one who can make them.<\/p>\n

Learn the art of letting go. Whether it\u2019s a toxic relationship, unhealthy habit, or draining situation, release what no longer serves you. Speak up when you’re being gaslit or manipulated. Use your voice\u2014not in anger, but in clarity and strength.
\nRejection? It\u2019s not about you. It\u2019s someone else’s opinion, and you don\u2019t have to accept it. Let it go with grace. <\/p>\n

\"1ann3\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Let me share a story. A dear friend of mine gave endlessly to others\u2014her time, her energy, her love. But she never gave to herself. Now, she\u2019s battling stage four cancer, and many of the people she supported are nowhere to be found. The friends standing by her are those who loved her for who she was, not for what she gave them. One of them is me.<\/p>\n

If you love yourself, take care of yourself first. You can\u2019t pour from an empty cup. I once asked a friend: \u201cIf the oxygen masks drop on a plane, and others need help, what do you do?\u201d She said she\u2019d help them first. I told her, \u201cYou\u2019ll die if you don\u2019t put your own mask on first.\u201d She paused and realized\u2014you can\u2019t help anyone if you\u2019re not breathing yourself.<\/p>\n

So, go to the doctor. Book the check-up. Take the leap. Let go of what\u2019s weighing you down. You\u2019re responsible for your life. Stop waiting. Start choosing yourself.<\/p>\n

With love and light,<\/p>\n

\u2028Ann<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Ann: It\u2019s a confronting question\u2014especially when you find yourself accepting poor treatment from a partner, friend, or employer. If you’re tolerating disrespect, neglect, or emotional harm, it’s time to ask: Is this love for myself? Turning a blind eye isn\u2019t self-love\u2014it\u2019s self-abandonment. At some point in life, we all must reassess what serves us […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":45,"featured_media":7372,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[943,7,10,12,15,19,24,29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7371","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-divination","category-empowerment","category-inspiration","category-love-relationships","category-mind-body-spirit","category-personal-change","category-self-help-improvement","category-spiritual-healing"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t