candy411 Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 How in the world do you gain self esteem and self love? So many articles say that you should love yourself but do not give any advice on HOW to do this. My other post on this site is about me having several emotional affairs over the course of my relationship, which began when I was a teenager in high school. I am now in my 20s and need to stop this tendency/behavior. I want to be mature. I want to be an adult. I want to be respectful to the confines of love and commitment. But I clearly am easily swept away by the approval and validation of other men. Men are very persistent when they want something and will do all the flattering/convincing they can when they want a woman. How can I not get wrapped up in this? How can I not feel the need to fill a void in myself with other people's approval? Especially when I already have a loving boyfriend. I missed out on dating other people and having that experience. Never got to sow my wild oats or really be pursued by other guys, since I have always been with one person. I don't want to give up what I Have in order to experience this...that's just silly. But I guess I never quite got my "fill" Looking at my history, I seem to fall into emotional affairs when I am either bored with my life or stressed out to the point of needing an escape. My boyfriend and I have been together for so long that we don't have that infatuated/in love feeling. I don't, at least. I think I am addicted to that feeling and so I experience it with other people. This is all very blunt. I would rationalize and explain more to avoid judgment, but this is the truth of it really. Link to post Share on other sites
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