I often tell my clients that they are not free to love others until they truly love themselves. Loving oneself certainly does not mean believing one is perfect. Self-love does mean investing the time and resources necessary to nourish your mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health.

I propose that all valuable things require investment. We invest in our educations so that we can have meaningful careers. We invest in our marriages (going on dates, buying gifts, offering kind words, etc.) so that we can experience love and intimacy. We invest in our children so that they learn the skills needed to succeed and be happy in life. The list of things we invest in goes on and on.

And yet, much of the time we fall short of prioritizing investing in ourselves. We may spend time lifting weights or getting our hair professionally done, but do we engage in the harder work of attending counseling to work through trauma? Now, counseling does not always have to feel heavy—like working on trauma. Sometimes it is just about learning some parenting skills or how to better communicate with our partners.

The point is, in order to be healthy and grow we must invest in ourselves until we pass. I tell my married couples that they have to “date until they die.” It may sound harsh, but it is true. This is how they continue to invest in each other and the partnership. The same is true for individuals. We should be investing in ourselves in meaningful ways until we take our last breath. Sometimes that looks like taking a cooking class to learn how to cook healthy meals and sometimes it looks like going to counseling to learn how to be emotionally available to our loved ones.

Whatever aspect of your life you need help investing in, we are here to support you. Our seasoned mental health counselors will provide a safe space where you can learn and grow. Please contact Life Enhancement Counseling Services today at 407-443-8862 to schedule an appointment.