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In cultivating a genuine and wholesome capacity to love others, embracing and nurturing self-love becomes an essential foundation. Loving oneself means to cultivate a deep and genuine appreciation for one’s own worth. It is a commitment to treating oneself with the same kindness and compassion one extends to others, acknowledging that self-love is not selfish but rather a vital foundation for a fulfilling and balanced life that allows one to accept the whole of oneself.
Loving oneself also means setting healthy boundaries, practicing self-compassion, and engaging in actions that contribute to personal growth and well-being. Self-love opens many new ways to look at the world and other people in a mature and stable way.
To love someone else means feeling a huge pull toward them that biologically comes from chemicals in the brain like dopamine and norepinephrine. Loving someone else and having little self-love are not mutually exclusive, they heavily impact each other.
Based on a study conducted by Jochen E. Gebauer in 2012 it is suggested that humans prefer their favorite loved one over themselves. It is normal to have more love for someone than yourself but it is not healthy.
When one has the confidence to love themselves, loving someone else becomes an easier path to take.
— Zadie Martin
When one has the confidence to love themselves, loving someone else becomes an easier path to take. The person doesn’t worry about their own inadequacy and is able to see the relationship from a pragmatic point of view. People who love themselves are able to spread the life balance that they achieved into their interpersonal relationships.
Someone who lacks self-love may feed into insecurities and self-doubt, and be unable to fully trust and connect with a partner. They have a reliance on outside approval which can strain relationships.
Loving someone doesn’t automatically mean you love oneself, but it affects how you love. Cultivating self-love is crucial for building a strong foundation in a love life, fostering a healthier sense of self, and creating more fulfilling connections with others.
