If that person has no love for themselves … Is it possible that they can truly love another? If a person has no respect for themselves … Is it possible for them to respect others ? Would this then suggest that a person won’t be truly happy in any situation unless they have achieved that elusive frame of mind of loving, understanding and trusting in one’s own processes? Wouldn’t it also suggest that we should view the state of our relationship with ourselves and others as being reflective of each other? And finally wouldn’t that then indicate that unless we can love ourselves we can’t love others? … So is it important for a ‘happy life’ to love and appreciate yourself?
This is the current internal debate I am struggling with as a student about to graduate and go out into the competitive and soul-crushing work force world. There is often this moral vs. wealth and success debate when thinking about the person I want to be and whether I can truly make an impact in this world. How can we break free from the ideals in place by our society and comfortably be ourselves without giving up certain parts of who we are and how we think?