In today’s world, it can be hard to love ourselves and make sure we’re happy, healthy and content. It’s so easy to compare ourselves to people we follow on social media, scrutinizing our own body, mind and life compared to someone we perceive to be “better”. Our feelings can quickly spiral into an entire mindset of self-loathing, guilt and doubt, stagnant in comparison to the “steady progress” of others.
However, it’s so important to love ourselves. Research shows that how we feel about our lives and our ability to cope with hardship is mainly determined by whether or not we have self-love. We need to have faith and confidence in ourselves that things will work out if we put in effort and take care of ourselves.
There are many ways to actually love yourself more. A range of techniques, small habits and transformative practices can help us to focus on ourself and nourish our own hearts and souls.
Focus on Your Daily Habits
Your daily habits are an incredibly powerful way to show yourself love each day. Small actions and behaviors that you do every single day can have a dramatic effect on your mindset and happiness. They can quite literally train your brain to love yourself and make it easier for you to direct your focus towards self-care and love.
Here are a few things you can do each day that can help you to love yourself:
1) Ease Into Your Mornings: Give Yourself Time and Space – Starting your day with calm and intention is so important for creating a mental space for yourself to be happy and relaxed throughout the day. If you often jump out of bed, racing around the house, try to give yourself a few extra minutes in the morning, to take some deep breaths, move your body and clear your mind.
2) Before Bed rituals – Ending the day in a positive way is equally as important as starting it in a positive way. Doing something calming and relaxing before bed such as reading a book or listening to a soothing guided meditation can help to remind you to love yourself and be kind to yourself, especially with the restful sleep you need and deserve.
3) Make Space for Self-Care – Creating space in your day and life to focus on love and respect for yourself is key. This could be taking a bubble bath, getting a massage, going out for a walk, or anything that allows you to show yourself love and appreciation.
Embrace New Challenges
Challenging yourself and pushing beyond our normal comfort zones is one of the most important and powerful ways to love ourselves. Taking a risk may seem intimidating and hard, but it often allows us to discover unique and hidden gifts that we have within us.
Here are some ways you can create new challenges for yourself in order to express love for yourself:
1) Pick up a new hobby – Learning something new is a wonderful way to show yourself love. It can be a form of creative release, a way of connecting with people, or a way to explore something new.
2) Create spatial boundaries – Boundaries can be certain limits and expectations to help us pause and think before we act or even before we allow other people to act with us. Allowing yourself to set boundaries can give you the control and freedom to protect and love yourself.
3) Look for Ways to Satisfy Yourself – Trying something different means giving yourself permission to do something unusually and outside of your daily routine. This could include getting a hair cut or makeover, trying a daring activity or switching up your diet or exercise routine.
Invest in Your Mental Wellbeing
Investing in your mental wellbeing should be one of the most important aspects of self-love for you. It plays a major role in your mood and overall happiness, so it’s essential to put effort into taking care of it. A big part of this is shifting our mindset towards gratitude and self-compassion – having faith in our abilities and being kind to ourselves.
Here are some ways to invest in your mental wellbeing:
1) Take Time to Reflect – Checking in with ourselves is a vital part of loving ourselves. Taking a few minutes for yourself every day to reflect on how you’re feeling, your thoughts and your emotions is a key part of ensuring that you’re regularly showing yourself self-love.
2) Practice Self-Compassion – The practice of self-compassion allows us to be gentle with ourselves and understand that our mistakes and hardships are part of the journey. It gives us the courage to open up to ourselves and heal from difficult moments.
3) Focus On Gratitude – Instead of worrying about the past and overthinking the future, focus on the present by practicing gratitude for yourself and for the here and now. Write down 3-5 things each day that make you grateful for yourself and the present moment.
Change the Way You Speak to Yourself
The words and phrases we use when we speak to ourselves on a daily basis are incredibly powerful. It’s vital that we use kind and loving words when we’re talking to ourselves, instead of only words that criticize and demean.
Here are some tips to practice speaking to yourself with love and kindness:
1) Listen to Yourself – Tuning in with yourself and paying attention to your inner dialogue can give you a clearer picture or your own self-talk. Pay attention to the words and phrases you use when you’re talking about yourself, and focus on replacing the negative ones with empowering ones.
2) Replace “I Can’t” with “I Will Try” – It’s essential to be honest with yourself when you’re setting goals and expectations for yourself, but also to remain patient and kind to yourself. Instead of saying “I can’t,” switch it up to “I will try and see what I can do.”
3) Remind Yourself of Your Worth – We are all so much more than our physical appearances and past mistakes. Remind yourself that your worth comes from within, and that you always have the power and strength to create a happy and healthy life.
Self-love can be hard to come by, especially in today’s world where we often compare ourselves to the seemingly perfect lives of others. But it’s absolutely essential to invest in ourselves, to be patient and compassionate with ourselves and to honor our own needs and boundaries.
Focus on your daily habits, embrace new challenges, invest in yourself and change the way you speak to yourself. All of these practices can help you to actually love yourself more, and ultimately become a happier, more confident and kinder person.
