Are You Worth It?

To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.

— Oscar Wilde

A friend was stingy with her Christmas tree lights. “I usually don’t turn on the tree lights unless I have company, ” she said. “One night I was alone, and I felt like looking at the lights. I thought that it would be foolish and wasteful to turn them all on just for myself. Then I realized that I was enough of a reason. I put on the lights and enjoyed one of the most meaningful Christmas-season evenings I can remember. ”

What about you? What love, what happiness, what niceness do you hold back from allowing yourself to experience because you are telling yourself you aren't worth it?

A bumper sticker reminds me - “I do not need an excuse to experience joy. ” However, we might very well feel that we have to justify doing something wonderful for ourselves. Instead, we have the power (and the responsibility) to say, “I would love to do this, and so I will. ” We do not need to rationalize, explain, or defend our self-nurturing to anyone. If an activity brings us peace and delight, that is reason enough.

This meditation is an excerpt from Alan Cohen's meditation book, A Deep Breath of Life. If you liked today's meditation, please support the author and purchase the book.