God loved us first so that makes all the difference and empowers us to love others including myself. Once we realize that we matter to and loved by our Creator, with our identity securely fastened unto God, our esteem is no longer based on others peoples feelings which frees is to love unconditionally, or at least less conditionally 🙂 This I know because the Bible and my soul tells me so. As a Christian, love is God’s essence and is personified in no other the Jesus Christ’s gospel message.