To love myself is to be a better me.
Q1. 愛自己的定義
Loving myself means…
喜歡自己，相信自己是美好的，一切以這個自己為先，才能為自己作出正確的選擇。
Like yourself. Believe that you are beautiful. Place this self as your priority and the right decisions will come to you naturally.
願意正視和聆聽自己內在的聲音，按你的意願和喜好，以實際行動去回應身體需要，為情緒給予合適的照料。
Be willing to listen and accept your inner voice. Take action according to your wishes and preference to maintain good physical and mental health.
你想自己做一個更好的人嗎？那就以精進為本，向你追求的狀態進發，這樣就是愛自己了。
Do you want to be a better person? Then stay focused and work hard towards achieving your dreams. That is loving yourself.
Q2. 不愛自己的狀態
Not loving myself is…
很多人看上去很自我，認為這就是愛自己的表現，但我不認同。
I believe there are many people who appear self-centered and mistake that as a sign of self-loving.
否定自己內在的聲音，逃避身體與心靈的需要，就是不愛自己最早出現的狀態。然後，當心中生起負面情緒時，自我保護機制就會開始運作，把需要被聽見的聲音抑壓下來，但其實有負面情緒是很正常的。只要你願意正視它，花時間聽聽它的心事，了解它存在的原因，跟它互相療癒，傷口才會真正復元。
Discrediting your inner-voice and neglecting your body and soul are the earliest signs of not loving yourself. Your natural instincts tell you to enter self preservation mode when negative emotions arise, drowning out that voice of guidance from inside. Those negative emotions in fact are perfectly natural. If you are willing to face them with patience and understanding, you will find the chance to heal each other.
縱容自己成為一個自己不喜歡的人，或放任地過著自己不喜歡的生活，都屬於不愛自己的狀態。你其實很清楚甚麼對你的身體與心靈有害，你願意振作起來，遠離這些傷害自己的東西嗎？
When you don’t love yourself you’ll allow yourself to become someone you loathe. You will allow yourself to live in a permanent funk. There is nobody who knows what’s best for your body and soul more than yourself. Are you willing to fight and make a stand against these harmful things in your life?
Q3. 愛自己的生活模式
The lifestyle of loving myself…
只要花時間聆聽內心的聲音，就能在工作及起居生活當中，活出以愛為基礎的人生。
You can live a life based on love at work and in your daily life if you spend time listening to your inner voice.
我真的很喜歡工作，當我要在休息及工作之間作出取捨時，我會以鼓勵自己的方式，令自己努力一點，做多一點，因為我喜歡投入工作時的自己。
I really love to work. When I have to allocate a work and rest balance, I will motivate and encourage myself to choose more work because I like that person I become when I’m working.
處女座與工作狂，本身就是兩個不能分割的身份。不過最近我開始了一個新習慣，就是在這兩個角色當中，加插了「興趣項目」 —— 即使在百忙之中，只要心血來潮，也會容許自己先做一些無聊而好玩的事，翌日才追回工作進度。就這樣，在覺得需要休息時，先騰出時間給腦袋好好休息，讓每個細胞回到應有的節奏。
You can’t take the workaholic out of a virgo. I have however recently started a new “hobby project” to balance out these two very identifiable traits of mine - regardless of how busy I am, when the mood strikes, I’ll allow myself to engage in some fun and trivial activity before returning to catch up on work the next day. It’s that simple. When the need to rest calls, allow your brain to rest and let the cells within your body return to an optimal rhythm.
至於「愛自己」的生活態度，我覺得沒有任何方式是絕對的。
I don’t think there is one ideal way of lifestyle that the concept of loving myself is fixed within.
我很重視身心靈健康，因此我會吃得健康，不縱容口腹之慾，也沒有吃零食的習慣。與此同時，我會保持充足睡眠，讓自己自然醒，如非必要都會在中午後才露面。
I am very conscientious of my mental well being, and that’s why I eat healthily. I don’t indulge and I don’t have a habit of snacking. Having sufficient sleep is key. I allow myself to awake naturally. Unless I have to, I don’t usually show myself until after noon time.
物質的滿足遠遠比不上智慧和心靈上的滿足，而有益的書籍、音樂及展覽，這些圍繞著我們的生活元素，就正是滿足我們心智神經的養份。
Intellectual and spiritual fulfillment and fulfillment from material things are incomparable. Knowledge from books, music and exhibitions are the essence of life around us that feeds our soul.
本來無一物，何處惹塵埃，規律給我很大的安全感，因此我會儘量保持生活空間整潔。
There is nothing in the beginning. Routine brings a sense of security and I try to keep my living space tidy.
愛是一切，老生常談卻千真萬確。當你愛萬物，萬物也會愛你。練習如何愛人，容許別人愛自己。
Love is everything. A true but often over-used statement. When you love everything, everything loves you. Practice how to love others and learn to accept love from other people.
October 2021
Ren Wan | Hong Kong
文字工作者、終極打雜 @JupYeah執嘢
ig: @renwan @jupyeah @greenbitchhk @zerowastekitchenhk
All Images Copyright © Ren Wan, JupYeah
總編輯 Editor-in-Chief: Dani Chong
執行編輯 Executive Editor: Jinno Neko
助理編輯 Assistant Editor: Zoe Wong
英文翻譯 English Translation: Cliff Wu
NEXT 下一篇 / 專訪17 Phoebe Leung #我的愛自己是 勇敢誠實面對自己
Yes! Self-compassion is one of the best ways to love yourself! ❤️
I really feel that modern society is 'consumed' with CONSUMPTION! whether it be food, clothes, technology...gluttony to the max. i really think many people would be happier and healthier if there was less of everything. i also think people were probably a lot more happier and healthier in general when there was less. keeping it simple is my motto. don't over-analyse every little thing... sometimes not knowing the whys, who's and hows isn't such a bad thing and at the end of the day, you are a tiny speck in the scheme of things.