Love yourself first

 Ever heard the phrase "love yourself first or nobody will?" Well... as cliche as it sounds it is true. We really must love ourselves first before trying to love others as well as trying to get others to love us. How do you expect other people to know how to love you if you don't love you? Also, how can you love someone else without loving you first? You can't pour from an empty cup. It is 100% okay to choose yourself because you can't function for others if you're not good. I struggled with this for years because as a teen I was bullied a lot which led me to be a people pleaser, so I would always choose others well-beings over myself and was dying inside. One day I woke up and said how can I do all of these things for others when I'm doing terrible mentally? That's when it was time for change. I was led to this wonderful community "Affirmations Manifested", the host is an amazing woman named Ivie, and she does affirmations on YouTube every Monday through Friday if she doesn't have anything going on. Affirmations are something that has changed my life tremendously. I'm an overthinker, so when my mind starts wandering off, I will instantly take a deep breath and bring myself back to reality by expressing gratitude; "thank you for my breath, thank you for my health, it is just a thought let the negative thoughts pass through thank you for the love I have within myself and others, I am okay, I am safe". There are so many more, but these are just an example. I recommend this technique! It is so easy to get caught up in our thoughts especially the negative, what ifs ones, so we must try to catch it before it festers too much because overthinking really leads to self-destruction. Ecclesiastes 11:10 state "So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body, for youth and vigor are meaningless."