Love Yourself Unconditionally
I never knew unconditional love until I had kids. Growing up in church, I was always taught about the unconditional love of God, but that was very difficult to comprehend because human love can seem very conditional at times. Friendships fall apart because of conditions. The divorce rate is through the roof because of conditions. I could be part of the problem as I’ve added to the statistics due to conditions.
But when it comes to my kids, there is nothing they can do that would make me stop loving them. As a single mom raising two teens, I’ve had the “my house and my rules, and if you can’t live by them, feel free to get out” moments. But the love is never lost, and the get-out is never forever; they know where I am, and they have a home.
The love I have for my kids has no limits. But I’ve noticed no limitations exist to their love for me either. I can mess up, and they say, “It’s ok, Mom.” They can mess up, and I let them know I’m always here through the ups and the downs. With kids, the love doesn’t change whether I’m in the house looking homeless or outside looking like an Atlanta Housewife. The admiration is the same whether on food stamps or in the penthouse. They’ve watched me fail and succeed and loved me through it all.
Is that not amazing? This unconditional love gives you the space to show up as you are every single day. Some days, I’ve got it together, and some days, I don’t, but the love never changes. Ladies, I want you to love yourselves like that. Some days, you may excel at work, and other days, you may not be as strong- it’s ok, give yourself “space and grace,” as my friend Treza Brooms would say. There are weeks when you fit your workout into your schedule daily and others when you may only hit the gym once. Sometimes, you eat healthy 80% of the time and unhealthy 20%; other weeks, you are on the 20-80 meal plan. So what? Life is a journey, and sometimes you won’t always be “on.” Give yourself Space and Grace to show up as you are and love yourself unconditionally. When you begin to love yourself through it all: the good, the bad, the sweet, the angry, the skinny, and the fluffy, you will notice that you will begin to become more disciplined in your journey to evolve.
When you begin to love yourself right where you are, rather than feel defeated by eating one Oreo and then proceeding to finish the pack, you will realize you’re human and know that one little indulgence isn’t a failure. Instead, you will drink some water and get right back on track with your meal plan. Loving yourself will allow you to see your beauty and potential.The moment you realize how amazing you are, naturally, you will begin to nourish your body, mind, and soul accordingly. Self-love isn’t always easy; it requires self-reflection, sacrifice, honesty, and work. Many times, our thoughts towards ourselves are negative, and the work required to stop the comparisons, doubt, and insecurities is ongoing. But, when you commit to the process, your life will change. Not only will you see your beauty, strength, and potential, you will have the confidence to go into the world and do the incredible things that only you were created to do. Ladies, we are fearfully, wonderfully, and uniquely made. Love yourself unconditionally and you will begin to see that the impact that you will have on this world has no limits.