Judith, welcome to Psych Central.

You just did essentially what the "Who Am I" exercise is about. Wanting to love yourself and being able to recognize that you want that is a very positive thing, and that will help you a lot. I guess it can take a while to achieve it though. Therapy helps, and friends help, and doing things that make you feel good. You might try getting a copy of the book that I referenced in the "Who Am I" thread, or other self-help books. They work if you take your time and do the exercises rather than just reading through the book and putting it on the shelf like most people do. Sometimes it helps to have friends you can be accountable to for doing the work, and you can find that here.

I wish you the best, and it sounds like you are on a good path and headed in a good direction.

Rap