All You Need is Love Sally Heady | 4 minutes How the question of love is at the heart of what holds us back “The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated.” - William James A question of love On a scale of 0-10, with 10 being the strongest it could be, how much do you love yourself? This question is a powerful one. I actually grimaced when I was first asked this question and I have often noticed an expression of pure horror pass across my clients’ faces when they were asked the same. I often opt for ‘like yourself’ as a more measured, British alternative. Love myself? Isn’t that a bit weird? Certain images or words might spring to mind when you think of people who love themselves. Arrogant, selfish, self-absorbed, narcissistic are a few. You might think of that person who is constantly pouting in the mirror or that person who greets their own jokes with a loud, braying laugh. You know the type. This is a misconception of what it is to love yourself. The people I know who have high levels of self-worth are humble, open and light-hearted. They can listen to criticism without taking it personally. Their relationships are stronger because they are not striving to ‘take’ from those around them or continually seek validation from others. They are less fearful about making the ‘wrong’ choice because they trust their judgment or their ability to cope with life’s challenges. For all these reasons and many more, self-love is something worth exploring. The Universal Neuroses I work with people to help them resolve a wide range of problems including anxiety, weight-loss and phobias (including social phobias). By using the Cognitive Hypnotherapy model we can get to the Page 17 Perception The Cognitive Hypnotherapy Review ©2013-2015