12 Steps to Love Yourself Unconditionally

by debee007

~  12 Steps to Love Yourself Unconditionally by Louise Hay

1. Stop All Criticism
   Criticism never changes a thing. Refuse to criticize yourself. Accept yourself exactly as you are. Everybody changes. When you criticize yourself, your changes are negative. When you approve of yourself, your changes are positive. “Break the habit of judgment and self-criticism, and go beyond the need to put yourself down.”
2. Forgive Yourself
   Let the past go. You did the best you could at the time, with the understanding, awareness, and knowledge that you had. Now you are growing and changing, and you will live life differently. “Forgiving yourself and those who have hurt you, opens your heart to a new level of loving yourself.”
3. Don’t Scare Yourself
   Stop terrorizing yourself with your thoughts. It’s a dreadful way to live. Find a mental image that gives you pleasure and immediately switch a scary thought to a pleasant thought. “Diffuse the power fear has over you and trust that life is taking care of you.”
4. Be Gentle, Kind and Patient
   Be gentle with yourself. Be kind to yourself. Be patient with yourself as you learn new ways of thinking. Treat yourself as you would treat anyone you really love.
5. Be Kind to Your Mind
   Self-hatred is hating your own thoughts. Don’t hate yourself for having the thoughts. Gently change the thoughts to more life-affirming ones.
6. Praise Yourself
   Criticism breaks down your inner spirit. Praise builds it up. Praise yourself as much as you can. Tell yourself how well you are doing with every little thing.
7. Support Yourself
   Find ways to support yourself. Reach out to friends and allow them to help you. It is being strong to ask for help when you need it.
8. Be Loving to Your Negatives
   Acknowledge that you created them to fulfill a need. Now you are finding new, positive ways to fulfill those needs. Lovingly release the old, negative patterns.
9. Take Care of Your Body
   Learn about nutrition. What kind of fuel does your body need in order to have optimum energy and vitality? Learn about exercise. What kind of exercise do you enjoy? Cherish and revere the temple you live in.
10. Have Fun!
    Remember the things that gave you joy as a child and incorporate them into your life now. Find a way to have fun with everything you do. Let yourself express the joy of living. Smile. Laugh. Rejoice, and the Universe rejoices with you!  “The power of positivity can change everything for the better.”
11. Love Yourself… Do It Now
    Don’t wait until you get well or lose weight or get a new job or find a new relationship. Begin loving yourself now—and do the best you can. “How you start your morning can determine your experiences.”
12. Do Your Mirror Work
    Look into your eyes often. Express the growing sense of love you have for yourself. Forgive yourself while looking into the mirror. Talk to your parents while looking into the mirror. Forgive them, too. At least once. “Through mirror work, you discover that you are perfect just as you are and that loving yourself can heal every problem.”