Looking for love? Love yourself FIRST

I know several people who are well into their 30s and down in the dumps about their seemingly endless quest to find true love.

But what I've also noticed is that they hold a very low opinion of themselves. Their low self-esteem has led to an acute sense of despondency in their lives.

If they don't love themselves, how can they expect to love someone else?

As I've stated in prior entries, you should never view a partner as completing your life. Only you can make your like whole. Once you've achieved that, a partner serves to complement or enhance it.

Saying that your life is complete only with a partner is putting undue pressure on him or her to fill a void that you yourself -- and no one else -- should fill.

Many relationships fail because one person feels the other falls short of his expectations. The individual may not realize, however, that the root of the problem lies not with the partner, but with himself: he might not be living up to his own expectations.

If you don't take pride in your own talents, accomplishments, and the endearing qualities that make you who you are -- if you don't love yourself first and foremost -- then it's virtually impossible to love someone else.

Until you've reached that critical step in your life, don't feel so dispirited over being single. Rest assured that you'll find the right person at the right time. In the meantime, work on loving yourself -- that is what will set you on the right course.

Remember, happiness begins with you. You have to love yourself before you can love your partner, or anyone else for that matter.

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