I don't think any two people mean the same thing when they talk about "loving yourself." IMHO, that's kind of a meaningless phrase. I don't believe there are too many people walking around who don't care quite a bit about themselves. And when we see people who are self-destructive, I'm not sure that's always a problem of not loving themselves.

I think that, as people mature, they grow both in the ability to love others and to have a positive attitude toward who they are. If anything, I would say the reverse . . . that it is in learning to love another that we enhance our self-image. When you see yourself making a positive difference in the life of another, your self-esteem grows.