---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How do you love yourself? Is it a love…"
description: "\"“How do you love yourself? Is it a love which concerns this life chiefly? Is so, you will desire to abide here forever, and you will diligently seek yo..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa8/st-francis-de-sales-12228_life_how-do-you-love-yourself-is-it-a-love-wh_113282.jpg"
---

#  How do you love yourself? Is it a love which concerns this…

![“How do you love yourself? Is it a love which concerns this life chiefly? Is so, you will desire to abide here forever, and you will diligently seek your worldly establishment - but if the love you bear yourself has a heavenward tendency, you will long or, at all events, you will be ready to go…” quote by St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa8/st-francis-de-sales-12228_life_how-do-you-love-yourself-is-it-a-love-wh_113282.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa8/st-francis-de-sales-12228_life_how-do-you-love-yourself-is-it-a-love-wh_113282.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa8/st-francis-de-sales-12228_life_how-do-you-love-yourself-is-it-a-love-wh_113282.jpg)

> ““How do you love yourself? Is it a love which concerns this life chiefly? Is so, you will desire to abide here forever, and you will diligently seek your worldly establishment - but if the love you bear yourself has a heavenward tendency, you will long or, at all events, you will be ready to go hence whenever it may please our Lord.””

[St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/)

## About This Quote

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

Self‑love should be oriented toward spiritual growth; if it seeks earthly comforts, it binds one to this life, but a heaven‑focused love prepares one to depart when divine will calls.

**In simple terms:** Love yourself toward heaven, not just worldly comforts.

Key Takeaway

Spiritual self‑love transcends earthly attachment.

Themes

spirituality self‑love mortality

Mood

contemplative hopeful

Type

theological reflective

When to use this quote

- practicing humility in daily life
- reflecting on one's motivations before major decisions

Key Concepts

the tension between earthly desire and divine purpose

Practical Applications

- cultivate a mindset that values eternal goals over temporary gains

Questions to Reflect On

- How does your self‑love reflect your ultimate values?
- What does a heaven‑oriented love look like in everyday actions?

A Different Perspective

May overlook legitimate self‑care needs in the present world.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Chiefly Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chiefly-desire-1339215/) [Concerns Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concerns-life-519062/) [Heavenward Tendency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heavenward-tendency-1339214/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Chiefly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-chiefly-1183805/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love of self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-of-self-113070/) [Love yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-yourself/) [Seek Worldly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seek-worldly-1339213/)

## Related quotes

> [“Where indeed is the happiness in this worldly life? These are illusory beliefs. That is why ‘we’ openly say that, “The happiness that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-indeed-is-the-happiness-in-this-worldly-life-these-are-illusory/)

[Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/)

> [Not life, but good life, is to be chiefly valued.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/not-life-but-good-life-is-to-be-chiefly-valued/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [“Not life, but good life, is to be chiefly valued. —Socrates”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ferriss/not-life-but-good-life-is-to-be-chiefly-valued-socrates/)

[Timothy Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ferriss/)

> [...that not life, but a good life, is to be chiefly valued.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/that-not-life-but-a-good-life-is-to-be-chiefly-valued/)

[Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/)

> [The ways in which most men get their living, that is, live, are mere makeshifts, and a shirking of the real business of life,--chiefly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-ways-in-which-most-men-get-their-living-that-is-live-are-mere/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [“My light shines with vibrational power. I am in tune with myself and Mother Earth. I love myself and everyone around me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-a-anderson/my-light-shines-with-vibrational-power-i-am-in-tune-with-myself-and/)

[Debbie A. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-a-anderson/)

> [“My Universe is beautiful and so am I because I vibrate on the same frequency.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-a-anderson/my-universe-is-beautiful-and-so-am-i-because-i-vibrate-on-the-same/)

[Debbie A. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-a-anderson/)

> [“Who are you to refuse yourself?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/who-are-you-to-refuse-yourself/)

[Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/)

> [If you can't love me at my worst..then you can't have me at my best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yourself/if-you-can-t-love-me-at-my-worst-then-you-can-t-have-me-at-my-best/)

[Yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yourself/)

> [“I am at peace and in balance with the vibrational love that is in my world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-a-anderson/i-am-at-peace-and-in-balance-with-the-vibrational-love-that-is-in-my/)

[Debbie A. Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-a-anderson/)

> [When a humorist ventures upon the grave concerns of life he must do his job better than another man or he works harm to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/when-a-humorist-ventures-upon-the-grave-concerns-of-life-he-must-do/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [We still live in a world of such gross injustice and inequality, that only privileged people like ourselves can afford to think of eros…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/massimo-pigliucci/we-still-live-in-a-world-of-such-gross-injustice-and-inequality-that/)

[Massimo Pigliucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/massimo-pigliucci/)

> [I think that there are real concerns that we have around whose life is important and why. So if the official story is, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-garza/i-think-that-there-are-real-concerns-that-we-have-around-whose-life/)

[Alicia Garza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-garza/)

> [I don't worry about nothing. I have a lot of concerns. My life is full of concerns, but I try not to worry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-childress/i-don-t-worry-about-nothing-i-have-a-lot-of-concerns-my-life-is-full/)

[Richard Childress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-childress/)

> [“The third aspect of the tragic triad concerns death. But it concerns life as well, for at any time each of the moments of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-emil-frankl/the-third-aspect-of-the-tragic-triad-concerns-death-but-it-concerns/)

[Viktor Emil Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-emil-frankl/)

## More by St. Francis de Sales

> [ “We must unceasingly ask for \[perseverance\] by making use of the means which God has taught us for obtaining it: prayer, fasting, almsgiving, frequenting… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/we-must-unceasingly-ask-for-perseverance-by-making-use-of-the-means/)

[St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/)

> [“The body is poisoned through the mouth, even so is the heart through the ear ... And even if we do mean no harm,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/the-body-is-poisoned-through-the-mouth-even-so-is-the-heart-through/)

[St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/)

> [“Grace is never wanting. God always gives sufficient grace to whoever is willing to receive it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/grace-is-never-wanting-god-always-gives-sufficient-grace-to-whoever/)

[St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/)

> [“When any evil happens to you, apply whatever remedies you can and do this in a way agreeable to God, since to do otherwise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/when-any-evil-happens-to-you-apply-whatever-remedies-you-can-and-do/)

[St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/)

> [“God did not bring you into the world because He had any need of you, useless as you are; but solely that He might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/god-did-not-bring-you-into-the-world-because-he-had-any-need-of-you/)

[St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/)

> [“Frequently give up some of your property by giving it with a generous heart to the poor ... It is true that God will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/frequently-give-up-some-of-your-property-by-giving-it-with-a-generous/)

[St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/)

> [“Take patiently the petty annoyances, the trifling discomforts, the unimportant losses which come upon all of us daily; for by means of these little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/take-patiently-the-petty-annoyances-the-trifling-discomforts-the/)

[St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/)

> [“From the heights of heaven Jesus Christ mercifully looks down upon you and graciously invites you there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/from-the-heights-of-heaven-jesus-christ-mercifully-looks-down-upon/)

[St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/)

> [“To every man, however holy he may be, there always remains some imperfection, because he has been drawn from nothingness: so that we do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/to-every-man-however-holy-he-may-be-there-always-remains-some/)

[St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/)

> [“If we walk steadily and faithfully...God will lift us up to greater things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/if-we-walk-steadily-and-faithfully-god-will-lift-us-up-to-greater/)

[St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/)

> [“When we abandon all to Him, He takes a tender care of us, and His Providence for us is great or small according to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/when-we-abandon-all-to-him-he-takes-a-tender-care-of-us-and-his/)

[St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/)

> [ “He enables \[his children\] to walk before him; he holds their hand in difficulties; he himself carries them along in hardships that he sees… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/he-enables-his-children-to-walk-before-him-he-holds-their-hand-in/)

[St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/)

> [“There is a wide difference between having poison and being poisoned. All apothecaries have poisons ready for special uses, but they are not consequently…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/there-is-a-wide-difference-between-having-poison-and-being-poisoned/)

[St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/)

> [“When we find that we have been aroused to anger we must call for God's help like the apostles when they were tossed about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/when-we-find-that-we-have-been-aroused-to-anger-we-must-call-for-god/)

[St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/)

> [“Certainly all virtues are very dear to God, but humility pleases Him above all the others, and it seems that He can refuse it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/certainly-all-virtues-are-very-dear-to-god-but-humility-pleases-him/)

[St. Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/)

[Explore all 55 St. Francis de Sales quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/)

## More Life quotes

> [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/)

[Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/)

> [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/)

[Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/)

> [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/)

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

> [Life works most perfectly when a reciprocal love relationship is in place between man and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/life-works-most-perfectly-when-a-reciprocal-love-relationship-is-in/)

[Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/)

> [I value the experiences that come with life too much to sit by and not put my full effort into them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-value-the-experiences-that-come-with-life-too-much-to-sit-by-and/)

[Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/)

> [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/)

[Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/)

> [“There's more to life than you can see. Your sight is limited.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-kling/there-s-more-to-life-than-you-can-see-your-sight-is-limited/)

[Tammy Kling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-kling/)

> [“I've spent much of my life calling my intuition "something wrong with me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-l-lawlis/i-ve-spent-much-of-my-life-calling-my-intuition-something-wrong-with/)

[Deanna L. Lawlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deanna-l-lawlis/)

> [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/)

[Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/)

> [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/)

[Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/)

> [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/)

[Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/)

> [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/)

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

> [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/)

[Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/)

> [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/)

[Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/)

> [But just remember, life without me would be even more unbearable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/but-just-remember-life-without-me-would-be-even-more-unbearable/)

[Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/)

[Browse all 265,290 Life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“How do you love yourself? Is it a love which concerns this life chiefly? Is so, you will desire to abide here forever, and you will diligently seek your worldly establishment - but if the love you bear yourself has a heavenward tendency, you will long or, at all events, you will be ready to go hence whenever it may please our Lord.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "St. Francis de Sales"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/how-do-you-love-yourself-is-it-a-love-which-concerns-this-life/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Life"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/how-do-you-love-yourself-is-it-a-love-which-concerns-this-life/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa8/st-francis-de-sales-12228_life_how-do-you-love-yourself-is-it-a-love-wh_113282.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa8/st-francis-de-sales-12228_life_how-do-you-love-yourself-is-it-a-love-wh_113282.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa8/st-francis-de-sales-12228_life_how-do-you-love-yourself-is-it-a-love-wh_113282.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“How do you love yourself? Is it a love which concerns this life chiefly? Is so, you will desire to abide…” — St. Francis de Sales",
                "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": "St. Francis de Sales",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-francis-de-sales/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“How do you love yourself? Is...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/how-do-you-love-yourself-is-it-a-love-which-concerns-this-life/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-francis-de-sales/how-do-you-love-yourself-is-it-a-love-which-concerns-this-life/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
