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5 Ways To Love Other People By Loving Yourself

5 Ways To Love Other People By Loving Yourself

Last updated on: November 11, 2026 at 9:05 am by Jocelyn Soriano

5 Ways To Love Other People By Loving Yourself 2026-11-06T10:10:25+08:00 Jocelyn Soriano

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Is loving yourself selfish? Or is it one way to help you love other people more?

Our society seems to have a dilemma when it comes to loving yourself and loving other people. This is because popular views seem to tell us that choosing one would mean not choosing the other. Hence, if we love others, we fear neglecting ourselves. And if we give importance to our wellbeing, we may not be capable of loving others as much.

But is this true? What did Jesus tell us in the Bible?

“‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” – Matthew 22:37-39 (NRSVCE)

Jesus never said that we shouldn’t love ourselves. He told us, however, that we must love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

While the world tells us that we cannot do both at the same time, Jesus tells us the truth. He not only tells us that it is possible, but that it is something we are urged to do.

If you have ever struggled when it comes to loving yourself and your neighbor, may this article help you understand how they could go hand in hand.

Here are 5 ways that loving yourself can help you love other people:

1. Loving yourself gives you strength to love others

This is probably one of the most practical things we must remember when it comes to loving other people and ourselves.

If we really want to serve our neighbor, we must never neglect our own strength.

By striving to be healthy and strong, we can do more to care for other people. We can serve the poor more. We can have the stamina to participate in projects that would benefit our neighbors. We can also help take care of those who are sick.

Love and take care of yourself so that you can also care for those whom you love.

2. Loving yourself gives joy and peace to the people who love you

You are not the only one who cares for another person. There are people who love you, too!

And for these people, one way to give them peace and happiness is to let them see that you are doing great.

Isn’t this true for mothers who would love to see their children grow up well? Or for spouses who become happier with the happiness of their beloved ones?

3. Loving yourself inspires other people

It isn’t only by directly helping others that you can love them. We can also love them by serving as a good inspiration in their lives.

There are people who find it hard to love themselves. Some of them are even abused or bullied. Many are made to feel guilty for setting boundaries and taking care of themselves.

These are the people you can inspire as they see you living a meaningful life while also taking care of yourself.

4. Loving yourself helps you intercede for your neighbors

If we love ourselves the right way, we also take care of our spiritual lives. And if we grow in our relationship with God, we can also lift up other people in prayer.

Interceding for others is like bringing them spiritually before God, praying for His blessing in their lives.

5. Loving yourself helps you understand how to love others better

We can go back to Jesus’ command to love your neighbor as yourself. But how do you begin when you don’t even know how to love yourself?

By loving yourself, you know how to love other people also.

Some concrete examples are forgiving and respecting yourself. Starting from there, you also become capable of forgiving and respecting other people.

Love Is Never Diminished When It Is Right

It is said that there is no fear in love, but that perfect love casts out fear.

Perhaps we fear only because we think that love is scarce. And if it is scarce, it diminishes when it is given.

We become afraid that if we love other people, we have no more love to give to ourselves. On the other hand, if we love ourselves, we also lessen the love we could give to others.

But this only happens when we do not love the right way.

If our love is right, and if we love with wisdom and God’s help, love would never run out.

Love yourself the way that God wants you to take care of yourself. And let God shower you with His unfailing love. That way, you will never fear of running out of love to give away.

“For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement, namely, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”
– Galatians 5:14 (NABRE)

Jocelyn Soriano is the author of Mend My Broken Heart, Defending My Catholic Faith and 366 Days of Compassion. She also writes about faith and writing at Single Catholic Writer.

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About Jocelyn Soriano

Jocelyn Soriano is an author, poet, and book reviewer. She is an introvert who enjoys a cup of coffee and listening to the cello ****** while working.

She wrote the books To Love an Invisible God, Defending My Catholic Faith and Mend My Broken Heart. She also wrote books on poetry including Poems of Love and Letting Go and Of Waves and Butterflies: Poems on Grief. She has published more than 15 books and developed her own Android applications including God’s Promises and Catholic Answers and Apologetics.

She writes about relationships and common questions about God and the Catholic faith at Single Catholic Writer. She is currently single and happy and she would like everyone to know how happy we can be by drawing close to the love of God!

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