Most of my life, I've left the job of loving of me to others, my parents, husband, boyfriends, who all failed miserably. So now I feel it's up to me, at this point in my life, to love myself and make up for some of the mistakes made by others.

When I didn't love myself, I let people mis-treat me, and I never want to go back there again. So, I disagree with people who feel it's narcissistic to take some time to heal oneself with self love until a person feels whole for maybe the first time. Everyone has different stories, different pasts, so we need to do what works for us to feel happy.

If I end up attracting someone who will love me as myself, then all the better. Until then, I'm happy to enjoy myself for a while. Making up for lost time, I may not have the extra attention to pay to others for a while, and that's why I'm not actively looking for romance at the moment. I think I need to feel more secure with myself first, before inviting others into my life at this time.

My ex-husband once grimaced that all the women his age on the dating sites say that after raising their family and getting divorced were saying "it's me time" and he thought that was so selfish. I bit my tongue so I didn't say "well maybe they had a husband like you, who didn't let them be themselves while they were married, so they deserve some "me" time now.

How about enough not to ruin a perfectly good dress by walking on it in sand?

I like myself, I don't love myself. I agree with Krzyz. It is a little narcissistic. Although I have had to make love to myself for the last year, but that is not the same thing.

I’ve worked with a lot of psychologists and others in the mental health field for decades, and have heard things like this often but, honestly, find it hard to understand. Loving and forgiving are possible actions/reactions one has to others, but to oneself? I AM myself! Seems kinda narcissistic ...