Appreciate yourself, not just others

As kids, we were surrounded by so much attention. People would always stop to comment on how cute we were, how well we played a sport or how well we did at school. Growing up, things changed. We spend our time — as students, athletes, in business, in relationships and in general — demanding perfection of ourselves, and, of course, falling short and then feeling inadequate on a regular basis. Self appreciation is the foundation of contentment and this is what we spend our lives searching for.

Self appreciation is a means by which we can reinforce our positive qualities and actively make an effort to eliminate the negativity that surrounds us. Moreover, self appreciation and self esteem come hand in hand with one another. While self esteem gives us the confidence to succeed, self appreciation helps us take pride in who we are and what we have to offer.

Ironically, people spend most of their time thinking that someone or something else can give them what only they can give themselves. To be truly fulfilled in life, we have to appreciate ourselves. No other person, material possession or accomplishment can do this for us. Moreover, how can we truly learn to appreciate others if we can’t even appreciate ourselves?

Self appreciation is the starting point of our conscious inner growth. For most people, it’s easier said than done. However, when we place attention on appreciating ourselves, everything in life that is important — work, relationships and goals seem easier to accomplish. So start today and feel the difference!

Originally published at www.idothanku.com on September 23, 2016.