What is self-love?
When you look in the mirror, what do you see? Do you know every blemish and wrinkle and wish you had a better face? While I do not think there is anything wrong with wanting the perfect hair and skin, self-love is the ability to look at yourself in the mirror and, despite imperfections, still love yourself and believe you are beautiful.
Loving ourselves starts with acceptance of who we are. Self-Love goes beyond how we feel about ourselves on the outside. We also have to accept and love who we are on the inside. Our upbringing or family dynamic can significantly impact how we feel about ourselves. Maybe we were told we were too quiet or spoke too loud. We may have heard you should be like your brother or your sister. Comments like those can cause us to doubt that we are individually just as great as the next person.
So, in short, what is self-love? It is the ability to love yourself for who you are inside and out despite your many flaws. In addition, because you appreciate and love who you are, you treat yourself with respect and continue to grow to be the best version of yourself. So, let’s see how you can start taking care of yourself with these six self-love exercises!
“For many people, the concept of self-love might conjure images of tree-hugging hippies or cheesy self-help books. But, as many psychology studies attest, self-love and compassion are key for mental health and well-being, keeping depression and anxiety at bay. “
Ana Sandoiu- medicalnewstoday.com
Self-Love Exercises to start loving yourself
It’s easy to turn on the TV or social media and compare ourselves to celebrities or influencers. Marketing and propaganda can make you believe you are not pretty, have the proper body shape, or have the wrong skin color. Often you may wonder how I can accept myself. So how do you block it out and start loving yourself?
1. Don’t be afraid to say no.
For some people, the two-letter word NO is effortless to use. But for others, it’s hard to say no to doing things that your friends and family may ask you to do. If this describes you, then it’s not necessarily a bad thing. It just shows you want to be there for those who you love and who love you. But what if someone asks you to do something harmful to you, or because you say yes all the time? They may start taking advantage of you.
That’s when it’s time to think about whether you should change some of those yes’s to no’s. It is okay to say no at times. It does not mean you are not a nice person. It just means you know your limitations and you value your time.
2. Give Social Media a break.
After looking at a post on social media, do you ever say to yourself, man, I wish my hair looked like that, or why can’t I be that skinny? If this is happening to you, it may be time to give social media a break. I find it helpful to unplug from social media every so often. I find myself thinking I need to buy more things to build a life I don’t want or need.
Contentment is vital and is part of self-love. That doesn’t mean we don’t need to do anything to enhance our beauty or the way we look. It just means we are happy and satisfied with who we are. So don’t let social media force you into following the crowd. Be who you are and build the life you want on your terms.
3. Love who you are and Smile in the mirror
At times it’s not easy to stare at ourselves in our birthday suits or without makeup on in the mirror. But when you look, how do you feel about what you see? It’s okay to say that you want to change how you look, but in that moment, what is the why behind those changes?
The why will help you determine if you need more self-love or if you love yourself but want to be healthier and happier.
4. Don’t Compare Yourself to other people.
There is only one you on this earth. Accept yourself for who you are. Embrace your strengths and weaknesses, and appreciate and grow from others. Positive affirmations will remind you that you are worthy of love. You are worthy of being treated with respect and dignity. Stay true to your personal values and enjoy life’s journey.
Tip: For more Positive affirmations, click here.
5. Enjoy some alone time.
With a busy schedule, finding some alone time may be challenging. However, setting boundaries and spending time alone can help you focus on your needs and reduce stress. Give yourself a treat and do activities you enjoy doing. If you love being outdoors, go for a walk or bike ride. Go to the movies or dinner by yourself. Start journaling or reading a book if you like doing things a little more low-key.
Spending alone time can also help you focus on things you want to change. This could be your finances, health, or career. First, meditate on what you can do to improve your life, and then use your alone time to work towards your goals.
6. Start thinking positively about yourself.
To start thinking positively about ourselves, sometimes we have to choose friends that make us feel good. Friends who are jealous and constantly put you down are not friends to you at all. Surround yourself with people who will speak positively about you, correct you when you’re wrong, and love you no matter what you go through.
Another part of thinking positively about ourselves is being grateful for what we have and the many positive aspects of our personality. Start a daily routine and list what you are thankful for. Keeping a gratitude journal will remind you of all the blessings and encourage you to look at the positive when feeling discouraged. You can fill your journal with love affirmations to help you remind yourself to think positively about yourself.
Always remember you are worth it.
At the end of the day, practicing self-love and doing these self love exercises will help you to love ourselves and see that we are worth love, appreciation, respect, and every good thing that life can offer. Have compassion for who you are, and don’t be too hard on yourself when you make mistakes.
Do you want more info?
For more ways to practice self-care and self-love and grow in your personal development, click the links below!
Nice tips on self care!!
Thank you for the tips. I love how simple and to the point they are.
Great information! Simple and easy to do tips! It shows you don’t have to spend a lot of money to take care of yourself.
Your article helped me a lot, thanks for the information. I also like your blog theme, can you tell me how you did it?