Self love

What is self love anyway? I always thought self love was just accepting yourself the way you are, for who you are. Warts and all.

Wiki says; 

Self-love, defined as "love of self" or regard for one's own happiness or advantage", has been conceptualized both as a basic human necessity and as a moral flaw, akin to vanity and selfishness, synonymous with amour propre, conceitedness, egotism, narcissism, et al.

In general, other articles say;

* stop comparing yourself to others
* don't worry about others' opinions
* remember your value doesn't lie in how your body looks
* be kind to yourself

I see crap all the time about loving yourself and being good to yourself. Oh, I get it. It just seems like they meant something different 30, 40 years ago when they started saying it. Back then they meant, hey, you can't give a 100% of yourself away, it's ok to say no to people and to ask for help and be yourself. I don't think they mean that anymore. Now it's more like, hey, do whatever the hell you want that makes you happy. Don't sacrifice yourself for other people. Love who you are, but remember...you could be so much better if you had perfect teeth, a high paying job, bigger boobs, a partner who agreed with everything you said, a different hair color, bigger muscles, longer eyelashes, an expensive car, zero wrinkles and were thinner/taller/shorter. That's not self love. No wonder people are so stressed out and unhappy with themselves all the time!  

Maybe that's why the world is such a mess. Everyone is just looking out for themselves and doing what they want. Putting themselves first, or trying to. 

Just do your best  people. Do the right thing not the expected thing. And remember, no one is indispensable. As a matter of fact, someone gave me this poem when I was in high school and feeling like I ruled the world. It really stuck with me too;

Sometime when you're feeling important;
Sometime when your ego's in bloom
Sometime when you take it for granted
You're the best qualified in the room,

Sometime when you feel that your going

Would leave an unfillable hole,

Just follow these simple instructions 

And see how they humble your soul;

Take a bucket and fill it with water,

Put your hand in it up to the wrist,

Pull it out and the hole that's remaining

Is a measure of how you'll be missed.

You can splash all you wish when you enter,

You may stir up the water galore,

But stop and you'll find that in no time

It looks quite the same as before.

The moral of the quaint example

Is do just the best that you can,

Be proud of yourself but remember,

There's no indispensable man.

                    1959 - Saxon White Kessinger