A common theme I hear from women who come to Maze Women’s Sexual Health is how it’s so much easier for them to give to their partners than it is to receive. Of course there is more to this than meets the eye, but it got me thinking that many women aren’t “talented receivers”. Is it that underneath it all we believe we don’t deserve the love or pleasure we say we want? Is this from a lack of self -love?
Self-love has sadly been perceived as selfish and vain. Seriously, what’s wrong so terrible about believing that you are a worthy and valuable person? Here are some ways to help you grow your self–love:
- Write down some things you appreciate about yourself (try to this daily)
- Say “stop” to your inner critic, breathe and refocus your thoughts
- Handle mistakes more constructively
- Be kinder toward others – this makes you treat yourself in a kinder way
- Spend time with supportive people
- Finally, try this imagery exercise: “Imagine yourself as a worthy container of love and keep patching the cracks so that the essence of your lovability cannot leak out”!