Hi Paul,
Everytime I see this topic, I feel confronted. Try as I might, argue against old beliefs which still live in my head, I know my immediate response to "Do you like yourself?" is: No. No to the extent that while I do need to do more self-care things, I will feel it's not worth the effort, the time, What? Not worth 10 minutes per day of stretching exercises? Not worth getting dressed, & using a half hour per day walking up the road, around the shops a while, & coming home, even though it makes me feel anxious & very physically uncomfortable, but promises, keep it up & in the long run, feel better? Not worth any long-term investment?
I do some things but seem not to be able to accept the notion that I am worth a more concerted effort, so, I also accept when other people seem to give up on me, too.
Do I do self-care to prove I am worth it, or does the self-worth come before the self-care?
How does how well we demonstrate our view of ourselves effect how other people regard us in return? For example, do you think you'd get a better response from your GP if you can show you've been diligently following their recommendations, when you go back & say it's not working so well? If I admit I have struggled to consistantly do the exercises I was given, how else can I expect the GP to respond, thanto insist I go & try harder (even though the exercises might not be helping anyway)?
I am finding it very difficult to separate how problems in my body & how I psychologically feel about myself, because I physically feel so bad, I am physically most unpleasant in my own experience.
The more recent changes to my body, its shape & feel, the discomfort & occasional pain I still experience, are not helping what was a unlikable, unlovable perception of myself before.
Being able to become physically fit would help a lot. Putting myself through more discomfort to achieve that, is the problem. I don't want to feel worse than I already do.I have a problem with the idea of causing myself pain & discomfort to feel good.
In my view, physical & Psychological pain are very much intertwined. Same for liking myself. If I'm going to like myself, I have to feel physically well, too. I would like to undo that connection - how?
mmMekitty
