[1w9n72bbetter]

Hi, I could use some help because I don't hate myself but I dont love myself either. Please help me how to love myself. What are the ways to love myself?

[kaliope]

hi
I started by focusing on a strength. something positive about myself that I wasn't able to discount no matter how down on myself I got. that eventually became two things and then three and then a whole list of good things about me. then I realized I was worthy of love and it became easier to love myself. it just starts with one. welcome to psych central. you will find we have several forums where you can post about your concerns and receive feedback from other members. you will get a lot of support here. again, welcome

[1w9n72bbetter]

Thanks for this!

[SmileHere]

Hi & Welcome!

When I started loving myself as a teen, I was reading self-help books that were really helpful for me, one for gifted kids - so I could embrace that 'intelligent' area of me that was neglected before, I was ashamed of it, ashamed of having good grades (even though part of me liked them and was striving for them).
So, are there any 'really good parts of you' that might just be 'unloved/underappreciated'?

I also joined a drama group and workshops, which was fun, and again brought some self esteem as other people liked what I was doing. Others also saw me in a different light, and I got more friends because of it. And it was something I liked as a kid.

I then read books like Louise Hay: You Can Heal Your Life, and it changed my life a lot, especially the visualization techniques. (Where you hug yourself as a little kid in imagination etc.)

I like much more about myself than I dislike, and I like myself much more than as a teen, some things have happened in between though which made it more challenging, but I'm learning to like and love myself again too!