I  LOVE this, it is GREAT!!!   THANKYOU!!! 

The first thing I had to 'learn' to do when I went to counselling, was to me what 'seemed' to be   'selfish'    .....Figure out what 'I'  wanted from life...from myself...from others...  (I still struggle with this!!)   After growing up believing life was all about taking care of other people's needs FIRST and being what 'other' people expected me to be...parents, teachers, God, onto good wife to my husband, great mum to my children, parents, God... and getting more and more depressed and lost from myself... I was consumed and an empty shell in the end, by not giving myself a fair share of my time/fun too!!  (and it didn't do my husband or children any good in the long run either!!) 

I NOW don't think it's 'self centered' at ALL to 'love' yourself...listen to your heart...praise yourself...enjoy yourself, all as above....because as long as you're doing these things with/to other's as well, when appropriate...EVERYONE then benefits,,because YOU become a HAPPIER more relaxed fun and cheery person to be around!!!   (instead of depressed and sad becuase the focus is all on the -ves about yourself!)

It seems true 'WHAT YOU FOCUS ON GROWS'   if you're looking at  the -ves..you find more..  if you see the +ves...you find LOADS more of them too!!  LIke a seedling.. it branches out into a fruitful trees....IF YOU LET IT!!   (IF you keep focusing on the +ves and DON'T let other's chop your lovely tree down .)   (easier said than done...but the more you BELIEVE in yourself and others, and practise...and BELIEVE...... )  then you can let your light shine!!!!!!!!

I appreciate u sharing that. It reminds me of how my daughter is treated by the teachers at school. They pressure her to be social. Ever since Kindergarten, the only complaint they have is "she won't talk to the other kids or play with them...she ignores them." I thought school was supposed to be about learning but nowadays, I guess socialization is important to the teachers.

yeah I totally agree