Self-love is about cultivating gratitude and acceptance towards yourself, physically and emotionally. Loving yourself unapologetically, feeling proud and confident. It’s how you feel better about yourself and accept your flaws. Above all things, Self-love is believing in yourself and all you are capable of. There are ways to practice self-love.
So many of us suffer from a lack of self-love. This might show itself in feelings of overwhelm or stress. You might compare yourself to others or judge yourself-often being over-critical. Another classic sign is playing small and staying stuck in an area of your life you’re not happy with. If you are ready take care of yourself, putting yourself and your health first. To live to your full potential and go after what you what because you know you deserve it, then I have some good news, there are ways to practice self-love. So in other words, self-love is a skill that you can practice and improve upon, it is not a strength that you either have or don’t have. It is something that with practice can get stronger and bigger until you’ll be bursting with so much love for yourself! Even then, it is important to remember that self-love is not a selfish love. It is the starting point; you cannot truly love another until you know how to love yourself.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, you probably don’t want to read lots of theory. So instead I’m going to give you 15 ways practice self-love for your mind, body and soul.
Mind
Plan out your me time.
Self-care doesn’t by accident. I’m sure there’s been times when you’ve had all good intentions to spend time on you but before you know it, it’s end of the day. To get intentional with your self-care, take out you planner or calendar and block out time for you for next week. Remember to nurture your mind, body and soul. If you need some guidance or ideas for self-care, you can access them here.
Create Daily Rituals
Create rituals that promote calm. Is there anything worse than rushing through the day and not having a minute to yourself? Instil calm from the beginning of the day with your morning routine.
Make a Happy List
Make a list of what makes you happy. Then promise yourself you’ll do more of those things.
Unplug
We all need down time, to just be. To daydream and switch off. In our house we have “No Phones Friday” every Friday evening. (Okay most Friday evenings). It’s amazing the difference it makes. We might have a leisurely dinner, watch a film and generally catch up with what we’ve all been doing.
Buy Yourself a Bunch of Flowers
Flowers been scientifically proven to have a positive impact on mental health by increasing happiness and reducing anxiety, They also smell good and look amazing in your house. Don’t wait for someone to buy them for you. Treat yourself to some blooms today
Body
Have a Pamper Session
Guaranteed to make you feel better, is a bit of a pamper. Choose whatever you will enjoy and you need at the time, massage, pedicure or a soak in the bath. This might be to get ready for a date night or as a treat in its own right. Home spa parties are one way to indulge in the comfort of your home. I’ve arranged one for myself and a group of friends and it was so much fun.
Take a 30 Minute Walk in Nature
There’s something about getting out in nature, that is so good for your mind, body and soul. You’ll clear your head, get exercise and working on your step count. Also it feels great for the soul; taking a walk in nature is calming and rejuvenating.
Work It
Our bodies are made for movement, we weren’t designed to sit all day. It is no secret that it is good for the physical body. It is also good for the mind and soul. Exercise can help to boost your mood and reduce stress and anxiety and therefore a great way to feel better about yourself. Try a relaxing Yoga class or a more energetic cardio
Feed it Well
Nurture your body with feel-good foods. The food we eat has the potential to either keep us healthy or contribute to weight gain or risk of diseases. The odd treat can make you feel good, otherwise keep it clean.
Bath
Relax in a bubble bath, wine and book optional!
Soul
Take yourself on a date
Is there a new restaurant you want to try, or a local event you’d like to attend but you can’t find anyone to go with? Take yourself there. You won’t miss out and the experience and still have a good time.
Call a Friend
Social interaction with positive, energetic people will really lift you up.
Create a Vision Board
Explore what you want to achieve in your life and excited about it. Then work towards turning your dreams into reality!
Write Yourself a Love Letter
As strange as this might sound, writing a letter to yourself is a lovely way to accept your own faults, work through any issues and celebrate you.
Journal
I saw this quote that said “anything is possible for those with a dream, a plan, and the determination to make it happen…no matter what.” This applies to anything that you want to achieve in life. You could write down what you’d like to change as a goal and how you’re going to achieve it.
So this completes the 15 ways to practice self-love. I would love to hear what you do, to show yourself love; let me know in the comments.
