We use the word love on an almost daily basis, however, do we actually know what it means? Does it have a universal meaning, or will the meaning be different to each person?
Most commonly by an actual definition, love refers to a feeling of strong attraction and emotional attachment, whether it be a person, a place, a hobby, nature, animals or really anything else in existence.
The triangular theory of love suggests intimacy, passion, and commitment are core components of love. But the diversity of uses and meanings, combined with the complexity of the feelings involved, makes love unusually difficult to consistently define, compared to other emotional states.
And of course, there always is the question…well, so then is self-love selfish?
Well if the basic idea of love is based on true care and compassion for someone, then surely genuine self-love is not selfish at all and is just simply care and compassion that you are providing to yourself.
In our hectic day-to-day lives, we let our minds wander, we might be feeling strange, but most of the time we have no real idea what's wrong. By developing self-awareness, we can start to notice our emotions, so then eventually we can use our energy properly and heal them.
It is extremely important to give yourself the needed time for self-intimacy, to become aware of your own feelings and to make sure you are caring about those feelings. In those moments when you are feeling a bit strange or down, try to understand what it is that you actually need at that moment. In many cases, it can be something as little as going for a walk, or taking a nap, having relaxing tea etc.
Your relationship with yourself is the most important relationship there is. And let’s face it, love for yourself is also critical to maintaining a deeper connection with your partner.
