Why is sustainable self-love so important?

When we talk about sustainability it's almost always about the environment, while I love and cherish the planet that we live on; I believe the word "sustainability" is multifaceted and can be attributed to factors other than the planet and our growing environmental concerns. Self-love can be sustainable too.

The context in which I use the word "sustainability" taken from Webster's dictionary means: "the ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level". In a growing world of self-help gurus and wellness that is so accessible and obscenely profitable. It's easy to believe that we need the newest yoga mat, the most refreshing green juice, that expensive pilates membership, and a lifestyle we can barely afford to maintain in the name of "becoming the best version of ourselves." However I find that more often than not our biggest breakthroughs happen when we are in tune with ourselves when we honor our most wounded parts when we lean into our communities and embrace change and uncertainty.

Sustainable self-love means, acknowledging that working on our bodies and minds is not linear, and certain days will feel easier than others. It would be pointless to strive for perfection in a world in which the Divine did not make anything perfect. Humans are flawed beings, susceptible to a wide array of emotions and feelings. We won't always like ourselves, but we can always love ourselves and still make room to hold ourselves accountable. Love as a medium is lifelong workmanship, and I don't think we can ever put a timeline on it for ourselves or with any other person. In Bell Hook's book All About Love, she explains that "self-love is the foundation of our loving practice. Without it, our other efforts to love fail."

We must commit to embracing this type of love.