By Samantha McKenzie

Write a love letter today. But this time, write it to yourself. I know, the idea seems a bit far fetched, a stretch to the everyday imagination. It’s not what we’ve been taught to do, but do it anyway.

I have written quite a few love letters before. A romantic at heart, I have fallen in love, loved endlessly, transformed love, loved without measure, patched up love and loved all the way around. I’ve shared love willingly and have practiced unconditional love all too well. I’ve professed all this love on paper — some handwritten, stuffed in envelopes and mailed, some slid under a door or passed on through a friend and others I’ve typed and delivered by email.

It’s never been difficult for me to express love. I’ve done it all my life, without hesitation or regret. Now, writing a love letter to myself would be a different kind of self-expression, even for me. With pen to paper my thoughts grew increasingly scattered and my emotions were tangled up all over the place. Will this sound conceited? Would anyone ever read it? Would they agree? Who writes nice things about themselves anyway?   

And so I began.

Well, I like my smile, I bashfully scribbled. Okay, that felt weird. I like that I have a warm spirit and it can be infectious. It was getting better. And I like that I genuinely care for people. Scratch that. I actually love that about me. I love that I will share my possessions, my time and my energy with others. I love that I don’t like to quit and if I’m on your team, we’ll most likely win. I also like that when I lose, I can brush it off and shake my opponent’s hand gracefully. I love my sense of humor, even when it’s warped. I love my confidence and my vulnerabilities. I love my eyes, the windows to my soul, and my silly little giggles and grin when I’m in a playful mood. I love that I’m naturally forgiving and that I’m encouraging and inspiring. And I love that I listen.

I quickly discovered more things to love about myself as I continued to write. It was an awakening exercise. I loved my big ole heart, my quest for knowledge, my…

With all my love, I ended.

Take this time to think about what you love about yourself. Brainstorm your thoughts right now. Scribble a few attributes on the nearest napkin or tap on your SMART device and record yourself. What do you find fascinating about you? What do you love about you?

Then write yourself a love letter. Date it, sign it and read it every once in a while. If you are feeling really brave, mail the love letter to yourself. Or email it if you want to receive it sooner (lol). Just do it. It will remind you about you and why it’s incredibly important to love you…out loud and on paper.