Practice Self-Love
Do you treat others better than you treat yourself? Are the words you say to yourself words you would never utter out loud to another human being? Why is it challenging to show ourselves the kindness we show others?
Pretty big questions, right?
If you are not treating yourself with love, get started! Prioritize self-love and develop positive habits to increase happiness and reduce stress in your life. Keep reading for more about self-love and ways to make it happen.
So, what exactly is self-love?
Self-love is the state of appreciation for oneself, developed through actions that support physical, mental, and spiritual wellness.
It is important to note that self-love is not arrogance or selfishness. It is compassion and kindness for yourself. It is keeping your needs in mind when others ask things of you. It is setting boundaries in relationships and not settling for less than you deserve.
How does this sound to you?
When I read the definition above, the word that jumps out at me is actions. It is easy to say I appreciate myself but harder to take action to support those words.
When my children were young, I found it challenging to prioritize my needs. It wasn't until my stress levels were high and my happiness levels were low that I realized I needed to take time for myself. Then I would feel guilty for it! Only now, with an empty nest, have I been able to practice self-love without guilt. If I could, I would tell a younger me to maintain my sense of self, regularly practice self-love, and not feel guilty for it.
Currently, my biggest self-love roadblocks are setting aside time to be alone, slowing down to rest, and practicing patience with myself. When I am successful at doing these things, I feel happier, more relaxed, and the future seems brighter!
What are your self-love challenges?
Ways to practice self-love
We all have different ways of expressing self-love. The key is to determine what YOU need to foster your physical, mental, and spiritual wellness. I encourage you to spend time identifying what self-love means to you and how you can make it a priority.
Here are a few examples to get you started:
Self-care: many use self-care interchangeably with self-love. I see self-care as a way to practice self-love.
Self-talk: keep your internal dialogue positive. Self-talk influences your feelings and behavior, so speaking kindly to yourself makes for a happier you.
Mindfulness: focus your thoughts to be in the moment. It helps you know what you think, feel, and need.
And here are five ways I am practicing self-love this month:
finding 15-minutes in my day to be alone with my thoughts
focusing on positive self-talk
remembering small steps forward move me toward my goal
eating more fruits and vegetables
hitting the hiking trails once a week
I benefit from having reminders around me, so I created five wallpapers to put on my phone throughout the month. I am sharing them with you! Download them for free at this link.
Go ahead...fill this month (and year!) with self-love!
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