Self-love

Self-love is the strong sense of respect for and confidence in oneself. It is different from narcissism in that as one practices acceptance and detachment, the awareness of the individual shifts and the individual starts to see him or herself as an extension of all there is. Ultimately, the identification of “I” from a personal individual perspective, shifts to “I” from a perspective of consciousness or life being experienced from the perceptual point of view that we call by our individual names. Healthy self-love plays an essential role in mental health, well being, self preservation, and happiness.^{[citation needed]}

In 1956 psychologist and social philosopher Erich Fromm proposed that loving oneself is different from being arrogant, conceited or egocentric. He proposed that loving oneself means caring about oneself, taking responsibility for oneself, respecting oneself, and knowing oneself (e.g. being realistic and honest about one's strengths and weaknesses). He proposed, further, that in order to be able to truly love another person, a person needs first to love oneself in this way.

Self-love is generally learned in childhood - to varying degrees - through honesty, acceptance, and love; the esteem and love of the parent(s) is often "projected" onto the child.^{[citation needed]}

Conversely, if one parent overtly disrespects the other, or himself / herself, the stage may be set for unhealthy self-esteem and self-love, as the child grows into adulthood.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• Self-esteem
• Self-image
• Self-awareness
• Self-compassion
• Self-concept