There is an idea suggesting that our own self-love sets the stage for all other relationships in our lives. I mean, of course: If you don’t know your own self-worth, how can anybody else see it?

I love exploring the idea of self-love and encouraging it in others, and I feel like this is a movement that is gaining a lot of momentum in society today. It’s cool to love yourself.

At the same time, I see the concept of self-love taking a bit of a twisted turn.

I hear people saying “self-love”, but the image I see alongside it is a body. Usually, a minimally clothed body. Is this self-love? Well, it’s body appreciation, and that is certainly a form of self-love.

I encourage you all to love your bodies. This isn’t easy –  as with age they are ever changing. To get to that place of unconditional love is difficult, so it is an amazing place to be. We can’t hate ourselves into a version of ourselves that we can love. But when we are kind and nurturing to ourselves and our bodies, we free ourselves from the pressure that society puts upon us.

Displaying our bodies proudly in all their glory is amazing and beautiful. But I feel like another component is missing here.

What about the rest of the self? Are we just a body? Do I truly love myself if I’ve learned to appreciate my body as it is?

You are more than just your physical self. You have a mind. You have a soul. You have dreams. You have thoughts that are astounding and unique. I feel like this other part of ourselves often gets lost when we are thinking about the concept of self-love.

To truly love yourself, you must love your whole self. You have to appreciate your inner qualities as much as you appreciate the outer ones. You have to see yourself as a whole.

So if you are starting on a journey of self-love, start wherever you like, and just don’t forget all you have to offer.