12 Quotes About Self-Love
Loving yourself is a wonderful habit. So often though, we prioritize other, less important things. Think about it: valuing and loving yourself is the backbone of your well-being. It is the pillar that holds us up and protects us. And, of course, it helps us grow. With that in mind, we have come up with a collection of 12 quotes about self-love so you can start to love yourself.
Self-love is a compass that points us north. It lights up the darkness. Without self-love, you are more vulnerable to manipulation. You are at the mercy of other people’s interests and desires.
If you don’t appreciate yourself, it is difficult to find the strength to set boundaries and demand respect. When that happens, you end suffering and watching as you slowly fade into the background.
That being said, it’s never too late to realize your own value. It’s never too late to understand that you deserve — and need — the place of honor on your list of priorities. There’s always time to take an honest look at your reflection in the mirror and make visible that which you have run from so many times. If you’re ready, read on and take inspiration from these quotes about self-love.
Acceptance is the first step
“Self-love has very little to do with how you feel about your outer self. It’s about accepting all of yourself.”
-Tyra Banks-
Without acceptance, there isn’t any room for self-love. It will just suffocate and die. It’s not worth putting on a disguise for the rest of the world and making others believe you are something you’re not. There will be a moment when you tune in with yourself and realize you are betraying yourself.
To love yourself, you have to accept yourself. To accept yourself, you have to discover who you are. Find what is in the deepest part of yourself, and embrace it.
Time for yourself
“Until you value yourself, you won’t value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it.”
-M. Scott Peck-
It’s only when you value yourself that you realize your time is gold. Then you will carefully consider who you spend your time with, and how you spend it. You will also make a point of reserving part of your time for yourself. When you love yourself, time stops being a meaningless variable and becomes your friend.
The importance of being authentic
“One of the greatest regrets in life is being what others would want you to be, rather than being yourself.”
-Shannon L. Alder-
A lot of times we confuse what others expect from us with what we really want. Without meaning to, you veer off your own course to fulfill others expectations. You end up leaving your own desires behind.
To prevent this, it’s important to ask yourself some questions: Am I doing what I truly want to do, or what others expect? Am I acting in a way that makes others feel good or me feel good?
“It took me a long time not to judge myself through someone else’s eyes.”
-Sally Field-
You aren’t a reflection of other people’s thoughts or words. You can’t live through their eyes. In fact, other people don’t know you completely. What they know is a mix of what you’ve shown them with what they think they know.
The value of rewarding yourself
“Plant your own garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.”
-Veronica A. Shoffstall-
You don’t have to wait for someone else to appreciate you or tell you your worth. Every day is an opportunity to reward yourself with beautiful words or a little gift. Treating yourself well has to be a priority.
The influence of words
“The most influential person who will talk to you all day is you, so you should be very careful about what you say to you.”
-Zig Ziglar-
The way you talk to yourself influences the way you feel. Supporting yourself and thinking of words of encouragement or recognition is much more helpful than being hard on yourself for your mistakes. So be careful with your words.
Release your fears
“You are as amazing as you let yourself be.”
-Elizabeth Alraune-
Your fear is what puts limits on your life. If you understand your fear and face it, you will be able to make progress. You will cross the dividing line between what you think you are and what you think you can be. In fact, there’s nothing better than discovering that you’re doing something you never thought you could do. How much are you limiting yourself right now?
“Successful people have fear, successful people have doubts, and successful people have worries. They just don’t let these feelings stop them.”
-T. Harv Eker-
Loving yourself doesn’t mean you never have worries, doubts, or fears. It means that you keep going in spite of them. Self-love protects you in some ways, but it doesn’t put you in a bubble. It provides security and strength and the motivation to fight for what you want in spite of the obstacles.
The power of your decisions
“It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”
-J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets-
You might be incredibly skilled at something, but if you don’t value yourself you won’t reach your potential. Now, if you value yourself and nourish your self-love, you will be able to follow any path you choose. Loving yourself gives you the courage to do your best and fight for your dreams.
Self-love is an inner state
“True self-love doesn’t need to be broadcast or publicly displayed. It is an inner state, a strength, a happiness; it is security.”
-Brian Weiss-
This is one of the wisest quotes about self-love on our list. You don’t have to go around talking about how much you value yourself. Psychiatrist Brian Weiss says that self-love is much more profound than that. It is a state, a strength within.
Self-love as a condition for loving others
“The person who does not value himself cannot value anything or anyone.”
-Ayn Rand-
It is very difficult to give what we do not have, and if we do not love ourselves, we will hardly be able to offer love to others. In this case, it is common to believe that we are loving, but in reality, we are within a dynamic of emotional dependency, where we manipulate, blackmail and demand from others that love that we do not know how to provide for ourselves.
Therefore, to the extent that we learn to love ourselves, we stop looking for affection outside, in others. Thus, we become responsible for our own emotional well-being.
Lastly, we leave you with some beautiful words from Nelson Mandela. They really speak to this complex but wonderful process of loving oneself.
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Garcia, R. (2017). Neurobiology of fear and specific phobias. Learning & Memory, 24(9), 462-471.
- Oleś, P. K., Brinthaupt, T. M., Dier, R., & Polak, D. (2020). Types of inner dialogues and functions of self-talk: Comparisons and implications. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 227.
