---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We need to learn to love ourselves first…"
description: "\"We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and our imperfections. If we cannot love ourselves, we cannot fully open to our ability to l..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81a/john-lennon-322_ability_we-need-to-learn-to-love-ourselves-first_1857642.jpg"
---

#  We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory…

![“We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and our imperfections. If we cannot love ourselves, we cannot fully open to our ability to love others or our potential to create” quote by John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81a/john-lennon-322_ability_we-need-to-learn-to-love-ourselves-first_1857642.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81a/john-lennon-322_ability_we-need-to-learn-to-love-ourselves-first_1857642.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81a/john-lennon-322_ability_we-need-to-learn-to-love-ourselves-first_1857642.jpg)

> “We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and our imperfections. If we cannot love ourselves, we cannot fully open to our ability to love others or our potential to create”

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He emphasizes that self‑acceptance is essential before one can truly love others or unlock creative potential.

**In simple terms:** Love yourself first to love others and create.

Key Takeaway

Self‑love unlocks love and creativity.

Themes

self‑acceptance creativity relationships

Mood

hopeful encouraging

Type

advice motivational

When to use this quote

- therapy
- team building
- artistic projects
- parenting

Key Concepts

personal growth emotional health artistic expression

Questions to Reflect On

- How does self‑love affect your relationships?
- What practices foster genuine self‑acceptance?

A Different Perspective

May be oversimplified for complex mental health issues.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Ability to love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability-to-love/) [Glory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glory/) [Imperfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imperfection/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-others/)

## Related quotes

> [We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and our imperfections. If we cannot love ourselves, we cannot fully open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhatsprincess/we-need-to-learn-to-love-ourselves-first-in-all-our-glory-and-our/)

ZhatsPrincess

> [Happiness is in your ability to love others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/happiness-is-in-your-ability-to-love-others/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [“When I have a daughter I will tell her You grew between the cracks of my skin, I built you, cell by cell, over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/key-ballah/when-i-have-a-daughter-i-will-tell-her-you-grew-between-the-cracks-of/)

[Key Ballah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/key-ballah/)

> [But to be able to kiss someone you love when you're fully and completely in control of yourself and know who you are...it's exquisite.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/but-to-be-able-to-kiss-someone-you-love-when-you-re-fully-and/)

[Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/)

> [“the ability to love; the courage and strength it takes to love a person, no matter how different they are. Forgiving that they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-sevilla/the-ability-to-love-the-courage-and-strength-it-takes-to-love-a/)

[J.M. Sevilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-sevilla/)

> [“We find our humanity—our will to live and our ability to love—in our connections to one another.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-sandberg/we-find-our-humanity-our-will-to-live-and-our-ability-to-love-in-our/)

[Sheryl Sandberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheryl-sandberg/)

> [“they had an instictive ability to love, so that when they encountered each other, they fitted together in a way that made the two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/they-had-an-instictive-ability-to-love-so-that-when-they-encountered/)

[Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/)

> [“What is emotional freedom? It means increasing your ability to love by cultivating positive emotions and being able to compassionately witness and transform negative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-orloff/what-is-emotional-freedom-it-means-increasing-your-ability-to-love-by/)

[Judith Orloff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-orloff/)

> [“It is our ability to love that makes us most like the Creator…but to love in the face of loss and pain makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-patten/it-is-our-ability-to-love-that-makes-us-most-like-the-creator-but-to/)

Douglas Patten

> [“With practice, you will find that not resisting holds the secret to many spiritual experiences, including the ability to love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/with-practice-you-will-find-that-not-resisting-holds-the-secret-to/)

[Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/)

> [Paradoxically, the ability to be alone is the condition for the ability to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/paradoxically-the-ability-to-be-alone-is-the-condition-for-the/)

[Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/)

> [“ No more. The yin fen has taken so much from me: my family, the years of my life, the strength in my body,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/no-more-the-yin-fen-has-taken-so-much-from-me-my-family-the-years-of/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [What makes us human is not our mind but our heart, not our ability to think but our ability to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-makes-us-human-is-not-our-mind-but-our-heart-not-our-ability-to/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [In this universe we are given two gifts: the ability to love and the ability to question. Which are, at the same time, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/in-this-universe-we-are-given-two-gifts-the-ability-to-love-and-the/)

[Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/)

> [“It is hardly necessary to stress the fact that the ability to love as an act of giving depends on the character development of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/it-is-hardly-necessary-to-stress-the-fact-that-the-ability-to-love-as/)

[Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/)

## More by John Lennon

> [Well, I don't want to be king, I want to be real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/well-i-don-t-want-to-be-king-i-want-to-be-real/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [ We went to America a few times and \[Brian\] Epstein always tried to waffle on at us about saying nothing about Vietnam. So there… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/we-went-to-america-a-few-times-and-brian-epstein-always-tried-to/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [As someone from the working class I was always interested in Russia and China and everything that related to the working class, even though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/as-someone-from-the-working-class-i-was-always-interested-in-russia/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [I never went to high school reunions. My thing is, out of sight, out of mind. That's my attitude toward life. So I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/i-never-went-to-high-school-reunions-my-thing-is-out-of-sight-out-of/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [Today's folk song is rock and roll. Although it happened to emanate from America, that's not really important in the end because we wrote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/today-s-folk-song-is-rock-and-roll-although-it-happened-to-emanate/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [If you want to get peace, you can get it as soon as you like if we all pull together. ... Think peace, live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/if-you-want-to-get-peace-you-can-get-it-as-soon-as-you-like-if-we-all/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [The reason why kids are crazy is because nobody can face the responsibility of bringing them up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/the-reason-why-kids-are-crazy-is-because-nobody-can-face-the/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [In my case I've never not been political, though religion tended to overshadow it in my acid days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/in-my-case-i-ve-never-not-been-political-though-religion-tended-to/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [I wasn't saying whatever they're saying I was saying. I'm sorry I said it really. I never meant it to be a lousy anti-religious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/i-wasn-t-saying-whatever-they-re-saying-i-was-saying-i-m-sorry-i-said/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [Songwriting is about getting the demon out of me. It's like being possessed. You try to go to sleep, but the song won't let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/songwriting-is-about-getting-the-demon-out-of-me-it-s-like-being/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [Imagine there's no heaven... it's easy if you try.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/imagine-there-s-no-heaven-it-s-easy-if-you-try/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [Man, you should have seen them kicking Edgar Allan Poe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/man-you-should-have-seen-them-kicking-edgar-allan-poe/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [Love is like a flower - you've got to let it grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/love-is-like-a-flower-you-ve-got-to-let-it-grow/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [I don't know which will go first - rock 'n' roll or Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/i-don-t-know-which-will-go-first-rock-n-roll-or-christianity/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [The main hangup in the world today is hypocrisy and insecurity. If people can't face up to the fact of other people being naked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/the-main-hangup-in-the-world-today-is-hypocrisy-and-insecurity-if/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

[Explore all 681 John Lennon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

## More Ability quotes

> [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/)

[Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/)

> [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/)

[Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/)

> [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/)

[Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/)

> [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/)

[Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/)

> [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/)

[Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/)

> [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/)

[Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/)

> [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/)

[Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/)

> [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/)

[Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/)

> [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/)

[Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/)

> [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/)

[Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/)

> [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/)

[Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/)

> [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

> [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/)

[Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/)

> [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/)

[Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/)

[Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and our imperfections. If we cannot love ourselves, we cannot fully open to our ability to love others or our potential to create",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Lennon"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/we-need-to-learn-to-love-ourselves-first-in-all-our-glory-and-our-2/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Ability"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/we-need-to-learn-to-love-ourselves-first-in-all-our-glory-and-our-2/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81a/john-lennon-322_ability_we-need-to-learn-to-love-ourselves-first_1857642.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81a/john-lennon-322_ability_we-need-to-learn-to-love-ourselves-first_1857642.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81a/john-lennon-322_ability_we-need-to-learn-to-love-ourselves-first_1857642.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and our imperfections. If we cannot love…” — John Lennon",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "John Lennon",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "We need to learn to love...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/we-need-to-learn-to-love-ourselves-first-in-all-our-glory-and-our-2/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/we-need-to-learn-to-love-ourselves-first-in-all-our-glory-and-our-2/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
