pimpleonthenoseoftheuniverse, here's some ideas that I've watched work very well for lots of people ... including myself.

I've heard it said (by people I consider to be much wiser than myself) that those who are not yet capable of truly loving themselves cannot love anyone or anything else. Love starts within.

I've also heard that a great way to get started at loving oneself (which unfortunately most of us learn NOT to do very early in life) is to practice first becoming aware of, then "deleting" and changing any and all negative/unloving thoughts about oneself. Using affirmations is WONDERFUL for this!

Once you've become the master of your own mind and thought-patterns, and learned to re-structure them in a way that serves you instead of smashes you, you'll find yourself becoming a happier, healthier, more loving and accepting person of everyone around you too. And you'll notice you've started attracting loving people into your life for a change, because "like attracts like". The ones interested in hating and fighting and abusing will not be interested in you once you stop "abusing" yourself.

I kinda like freckleonthenoseoftheuniverse ... or maybe driedchocolatespotonthelipoftheuniverse ...

;) daylia