Self-love is an indispensable part of living well. Self-love isn’t simply a state of feeling good. it’s a state of appreciation for oneself that grows from actions that support our physical, psychological and spiritual growth. Self-love is ever-changing; it develops through actions that mature us. Once we act in ways which expand self-love in us, we start to simply accept our weaknesses and become more centered in our life purpose and values and expect living fulfilment through our efforts.
What is self-love? Is it something you can obtain through a day at a spa? Can you get more of it by reading something inspirational? Or, can dating someone make you love yourself more? The answer is a big No. Although they feel good and are satisfying, you can’t love yourself through these types of activities. Self-love is understanding yourself in a way that does not involve judging or punishing yourself for every mistake you make, or every time someone does better than you.
Loving yourself doesn’t mean you think you’re the best at what you do. Instead, when you love yourself you accept your flaws and understand that it’s only human to be not perfect.
Why do we always fail to make ourselves a priority? When life gets too busy, we stop doing what we love and end up compromising. But it’s about time you put yourself first. You can never be truly happy unless you make yourself a priority. And this starts by focusing on your well-being, taking enough rest, and fulfilling your desires.
When you prioritize yourself, not only you benefit, but so do the people around you. If you are stressed yourself, what’s left to give to others? For some, the idea of making yourself a priority may feel selfish. You don’t need to abandon others. You just need to put yourself first and be the very best you can be, for yourself, and the people in your life. And never feel guilty for choosing yourself first.
The beautiful thing is that when you cater to your own needs, you become more capable to serve the needs of your loved ones. As we take care of ourselves and rejuvenate ourselves, we become more eager to share that feeling and fill other’s lives with positivity too.
When we take time to know ourselves better, whatever way works best for us, we feel like we have a buffer from everything else we have to face that day. Taking that time to yourself serves as a protector to the stress of the upcoming challenges. Everything in your life becomes manageable and easy to handle.
We’ve all heard the advantages of loving yourself and we know that self-love is something we need. The real question is how. How do we grow that loving relationship with self? Here are 10 ways you can take to set you on the path toward true self-love.
Stop comparing yourself to others
We’re designed to be competitive, so comparing ourselves to others is normal. But it can be harmful. There’s just no point in comparing yourself to anyone else on the planet because there’s only one you. Instead, focus on yourself and understand your journey is different from anyone else’s. This is the first step to loving yourself.
Put yourself first
Don’t feel bad about doing this. Women are usually taught from a young age to put others’ needs first. Which needs to change with the changing times. We all deserve to make ourselves a priority and taking care of ourselves.
Learn to let go
Let go of anything that is not serving you in the best way possible. This includes relationships, jobs and friendships… Get rid of all that is holding you back. This step can create feelings of loneliness, but that will pass. Replace toxic with good; replace destructive habits with good habits.
Make your body happy
It is important when learning to love ourselves that we spend plenty of time and attention to our bodies. How we feel inside directly affects how we feel in ourselves. You want to keep that beautiful body of yours feeling energized and full of vitality. So it’s crucial that as part of your self-love routine you do things that make you feel great in your body.
Think about how everybody messes up sometimes
It’s tempting to think that only you are messed up, while everyone else is perfect. Even the most successful people make serious mistakes. But making a mistake doesn’t undo all of your accomplishments and successes. We’re all works in progress.
Nourish yourself
If you’re new to the practice of loving yourself then start with focusing on nourishing yourself. Nourishing your temple is the most basic form of loving yourself, become mindful of what you put in your body – give it what it loves. Start your day with a green tea, treat yourself to your fav chocolates and make time to cook yourself a nutritious dinner full of superfoods. The way we feed ourselves reflects how we love ourselves. So get good at nourishing yourself and you’ll lay a strong base to self-love.
Express yourself
It’s so important to find ways to talk about how you’re feeling and feel free to be you. Whether it’s dancing, writing, singing, painting, acting – everyone has something that does it for them. It’s something we did naturally as children. It’s always something that makes us feel fully alive. And we should start doing it alone.
Process your fears
Feeling afraid is natural and human. Don’t reject your fears — understand them. This can help with your mental health. Understanding your fears helps you to gain clarity and overcome your issues in your life that were causing you anxiety. That, in turn, can help alleviate some — if not all — of your anxiety.
Explore your spirituality
Faith is the foundation for self-love. Whether or not you’re religious, believe in something that will help you open up your soul to the beauty of belief and trust. It will build your gut feeling and help you make decisions based on your intuition. When you do this, it will also take you on a journey to learning new things about yourself, and those new thoughts, feelings, passions, and raw emotions will make you appreciate yourself for being your true self.
Set boundaries and protect yourself
Try to figure out what isn’t good for you and gain the clarity you need to understand what you will, and will not accept in your life. Don’t ever tolerate being treated like a second choice. Be with the right people who reflect yourself and make your life better.
Take Back Your Power
If you don’t take the steering wheel of your life in your hand, someone else will. No more pointing the finger at others. It’s time to own up and take control. The moment you take control of your life is the moment you become powerful.
Even if you don’t feel good at the moment, think about how far you’ve come in life. You’re here, right now, alive and powerful beyond your knowledge. Take it slow. Self-love may not happen overnight. But with time, it will happen. Yes, you may find that challenging, but you’ll look back on these moments and see how they were stepping stones on your journey to being the best version of yourself.
