I used to think self-love meant just being gentle with myself.
Affirmations. Meditation. Positive self-talk.
But 18 months ago, after a routine checkup, I got hit with a “high cholesterol” warning at 32…
A lot can change when you decide to treat yourself with respect.
For the first time, I looked at myself honestly.
My sleep was a mess. I exercised inconsistently. I lived off fast food and caffeine.
And one question kept echoing in my head:
“Is this how a man who loves himself lives?”
That’s when something clicked.
All my life, discipline reminded me of my hyper-critical father so I avoided it.
I hated the word.
But the truth was this:
Discipline is self-love.
It’s how we, as men, become the loving father to ourselves we never had.
Because if you had a son you loved, would you let him eat garbage, sleep terribly, and disrespect his own body?
Of course not.
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Sleeping 8 hours.
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Eating real food.
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Saying no to the Friday night drinks.
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Hitting the gym when you don't feel like it.
These are the ways you communicate to yourself .. that you are worthy and deserving of respect.
Self-love isn’t just how you talk to yourself.
It’s how you treat yourself.
Words matter. But your actions are undeniable.
If there’s one phrase that turns boys into men, it’s this:
Nobody is coming to save you.
We must be our own saviour (although this doesn’t mean being radical individualists either).
So as a reminder to both you and me:
How can I demonstrate self-respect through my actions this week?
And if you need help getting out of a rut .. this book helped me tremendously in my journey.
Stay courageous,
OC
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