Practicing Self-Love

There is an old quote that you can’t love someone else until you learn to love yourself. Whether this is true or not, it is important for our own wellbeing and mental health that we appreciate ourselves more. When we have self-compassion, we recover better from stress, have less anxiety and uphold a better drive to be healthy.

If you’re not sure how to start practicing self-love, we’ve written down a few ideas to help:

Invest Time in Yourself

One of the most basic aspects of self-love and wellness can be the hardest to follow; allowing time for you. This means giving yourself time for a decent night’s sleep, time to relax and unwind from life’s responsibilities and time to create nourishing meals that fill the heart and stomach. By giving more attention to these areas, you help the body gather more energy, which will help you stay productive, happier and motivated.

Self-Kindness

Talk about yourself the way you talk about others. Be kinder and more accepting of any ‘faults’ you perceive. When we talk about others, we tend to be much more uplifting than when we talk about ourselves. so be mindful of the words you use – after all, you are listening! Talking more positively can help produce positive thoughts, which help us stay motivated and happy.

Positive Affirmations

While these may seem silly to read, the meaning behind each sentence is important and you deserve to hear them said to you:

I am enough.
I am worthy of love.
I am courageous.
I am better than I use to be.
I can conquer all challenges that come my way.
Even if I make mistakes, I am brave for trying.
I have the power to make an impact.
My actions are important.
My actions count.

Avoid Comparing

Self-love is all about you; no one else. Try to avoid comparing your life to the ones you see on social media, or hear about from people you meet. Remember that everyone posts the highlights of their lives and tend to keep quiet about the negative aspects. The same goes for photos!  No-body wants to highlight their double chin.

Equally, try not to give too much thought for people comparing you. You cannot control what others think of you, just as they cannot control what you think of them. Instead, channel this energy into embracing what makes you happy.

Remember You Can Say No

If you are invited somewhere that doesn’t sound exciting, it is OK for you to say no. Often we can feel pressured to tag along and push aside our own desires. If we continually do this, we get use to pushing aside our feelings! So don’t feel bad if you reject an invite. You can always suggest doing something else another time.

Embrace YOU

You are one of a kind, quirks and all. You’ve been through a unique set of experiences that have shaped you, not defined you. Embrace this. Be proud of who you are and what you can achieve. Forgive your mistakes for they were lessons along the way. Celebrate your skills and talents for they enrich lives. Be you because that’s the best thing you can be.