The world learned a lot from the late, great Godfather of Soul and formerly, The Hardest Working Man in Show Business. Proud of my blackness? Yes. Incredible work ethic? Indeed. Expressing a desire for the ability to jump back and want to kiss yourself? Hellz yeah!

By the time Whitney Houston’s version of “Greatest Love of All” was making its rounds, Soul Brother #1 was riding high from his Rocky IV soundtrack contribution, “Living in America.” MTV was on full tilt and Whitney was one of the blessed few black artists (along with the likes of Mike, Prince, Tina, and Lionel) to have videos in constant rotation. However, because she was not singing Gospel, a preacher at my mother’s church was tearing up Whitney’s latest hit from behind the pulpit. He protested that professing love for oneself is not, in fact, the greatest love of all. Droning on with the backing of countless scriptures, he began to come off like Charlie Brown’s teacher.

I am not here to get into religious debates about the validity and meaning of the Bible, the Qur’an, or any other such text. What I am saying is that love, preservation, maintenance, et al, come from within. Though it’s not selfish to have a basic love for yourself, it could be considered narcissistic to become completely enamored each time you come across your reflection. Just ask, well, Narcissus!

Happiness seems so elusive while self-loathing seems to be the currency of the day. Each day on social media, I have to scroll past people’s barrage of lamentations: their 25-year-old dog is sick (they don’t live forever); their aunty’s neighbor’s play-cousin’s (thrice removed) great-grand roach has finally gone on to that great bug trap in the sky (did they even know her or just trying to get sympathy by proxy?); their boss is straight set-trippin’, throwing up West Side, and threatening their livelihood (maybe they should become their own boss). And, oh yeah, there’s always some unnamed, cross-eyed, jealous heifer somewhere who needs her ass kicked (don’t talk about it, be about it).

Anytime “fuck my life” becomes the accepted mentality, Houston, we have a problem. Could it be that we won’t allow ourselves to discover and cultivate the joy within before embarking on a quest to supposedly love anything greater? Or could it be, like the Country song says, we’re looking for it in all the wrong places?

The hu$tle should not be an adventure solely based on the pursuit of material excess to plug a hole in our collective middle. It, instead, should be an expression of the love you have for yourself, and for those you hold dear. It’s about creating an environment of happiness but not about using money as replacement therapy.

Learning to love yourself is indeed the key to happiness, which leads to better hu$tling. This might be lost on those remaining stagnant while awaiting completeness in the sweet by-and-by. I suggest applying a joie de vivre to your grind.

Here are some key points:

– Get to know, accept, and appreciate YOU; that includes all the talents, shortcomings, and experiences that make you who you are.

– Realize that YOU are the key to your own happiness. Some people may be able to have influence but no one should be allowed to completely commandeer or knock it out the box.

– Enjoy the little things, making the most of what you have, until you set yourself on a course that gravitates you to the bigger and better things. However, do not allow objects, baubles, or money to define your happiness.

– If life is like a car, happiness be that gasoline (or electricity, if you’re going hybrid) that propels it forward. Oh, if you run out of gas, you’ll still have a vehicle, but you won’t get very far.

– Just as with your physical health, your emotional health is your responsibility. It would be ridiculous for you to hold someone else accountable for why you didn’t go to the gym or why you engorged yourself on cupcakes instead eating of a balanced meal, right?

– What lies beyond is a mystery. We need to carpe diem, making the most of our lives now, not making empty plans to get to happy “someday.”

‘Nuf said. Now, jump back and kiss yourself.