Let yourself come to the fore at Christmas

It’s time for your true self to come to the fore, and never is this more important than at Christmas.

Of course, making time for yourself and allowing you to love yourself may seem a strange concept at Christmas; traditionally a time for thinking about others and particularly those less fortunate than ourselves. So it’s understandable if you’re feeling a little conflicted by this advice then, but please don’t be; truly loving yourself this Christmas isn’t the same thing as being selfish. In fact, in many ways, it’s the complete opposite.

Allow us to explain…

The concept of true “self-love” does mean indulging yourself when this is appropriate, it’s true. But this is far more about taking pride in whatever you do, and who you are. It is about finding the courage to truly express yourself and to be true to your inner self in all situations, even when this feels a little uncomfortable.

This idea doesn’t come easily to many English people. We are, it is said, traditionally more reserved than other nationalities and we hate being rude or causing a fuss. But again, this needn’t be the case with being who you truly are. It is, instead, a matter of speaking your own truth politely whilst always respecting the views and existence of others.

It’s also worth remembering that we are all islands in some ways. It’s often said that “no man is an island” and there is truth in that we all live in a society and have to interact with others. But at the same time, we are also individuals and each of is truly unique. Your instinct will tell you when something feels right or wrong; this is the same thing as your inner voice or true soul – and this is the person within who deserves time to be his or herself.

CAPTION: Christmas is always a thought-provoking time of year. "Photo class: portrait" (CC BY 2.0) by romanboed

This is always true, but Christmas is a more spiritual time when most of us are allowed a little time out to think about what is really important in life – in a  word, it’s love. We think about friends and family, our past lives and those who are no longer with us. These are soulful and contemplative moments when we allow our true inner selves to come to the fore. And this is the way it should be.

So yes, learning to love yourself may be a little self-indulgent if you’re in that sort of frame of mind. But it’s far more likely to lead you to selfless acts as these nourish our souls. The great Indian leader Mahatma Ghandi once encouraged his followers to “lose yourselves in the service of others”. He knew what he was talking about when it came to nourishing one’s soul.

Meanwhile, the man whose birthday we all celebrate on December the 25th each year also said “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another”. This sums it up and it starts with having the courage to love yourself – which is exactly what learning to love yourself at Christmas is really all about.

Main image caption: Share the love this Christmas, but make sure to include yourself. "Love" (CC BY-ND 2.0) by ScottMPhotos1