Our ability to love someone is based on our ability to love ourselves.

You cannot truly relate to, or love anyone else until you love yourself.

Unfortunately society seems to regard self-love as wrong, egotistical, or selfish. But this regard for our own self-worth is not egotism unless it is confined exclusively to ourselves. Egotistical people are self-rejecting and basically selfish. They are only interested in themselves to the degree that they want everything only for themselves, without regard for others. They feel no pleasure in giving, only in receiving, and view the world only from what they can get out of it. They lack interest and sensitivity towards the needs of others, have little respect for others dignity or integrity. They see nothing but themselves, being totally self-centered, and their world is barren of any form.

 Egotism and genuine self-love are complete opposites. The egotist in fact hates him/herself and this lack of self-appreciation leaves him/her empty and frustrated. In his unhappiness, he/she anxiously grabs from life the satisfactions that he/she blocks him/herself from attaining naturally. He/she appears to care too much for him/herself, but in fact he/she is making an unsuccessful attempt to cover up and compensate for his/her failure to care for his/her true inner self.