How do you love and accept yourself?

I think the first secret to self love is to turn of the negative voices in your head. Stop putting yourself down. Would a friend be so critical of you? Would you be as critical of your friend? Be your own friend and turn of the negative commentary in your head. I have no time for negative thoughts about myself because I do indeed love myself.

I have always loved myself and never have understood people who don't. It is low self respect and I definitely don't have mine low. I know who I am and what do I want to reach in my life. Living myself comes naturally, I don't specially work with myself to find a love to myself. So, I don't really know how those people feel who don't love themselves, it is difficult to suggest something. I think it should be a natural process.

I used to hate myself. I was fat and ugly and everyone I ever met made sure that I knew it. When I got pregnant with my first child I realized that I would pass on my insecurities so I began working on improving my view of myself. I changed what I could if it was something I wanted to change and the rest I accepted. If other people didn't like it and that upset me, I asked myself why I should care. They don't have to live inside me, I did. I realized I was looking for acceptance because of those cruel people I went to school with and that let me start accepted myself for what I am. I do love myself now. After all, I'm really all I've got! I'm a nice person, I enjoy my own company and I appreciate all my assets and faults. I just don't care what other people think of me anymore because that is SO destructive!

First define self. Do I love all my habits? No. do I love my body? No. Do I love my mind? NO then what is self. Do I love the life energy that dwells within all of us? Yes. That is self as far as I can tell.