practice self love

self-love 

steps to know about self-love

 When you think of the people you love, who comes to mind first? 

Is that your family members, your best friend, or a significant other? What about you? 

Self-love is important. It's important for leading a happy, healthy life. Unfortunately, the concept of self-love is often overlooked and misunderstood. In a world that grows more demanding stressful and complex day by day, self-love might be something you're struggling with. 

So let's talk about eight things that need to know about self-love. 

self love

1. self-love is not a linear process.

 The process of loving yourself will have ups and downs. On this journey you will probably have days where you feel great, energized, and positive, but also know that there will be days where you don't, and that's more than okay. 

Even when you consciously practice self-love, you may sometimes feel grumpy, tired, anxious, sad, lonely or defeated. On those days, remember that you're human, in the process of growing, and allowed to feel the full range of emotions on any given day.

 Life is hard, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with taking the bad, with the good. Part of loving yourself is feeling and expressing these emotions without criticizing yourself. Self-love is a complex process full of leaps forward and steps back. Each day that you choose to keep going, and choose to love yourself, you're making amazing progress, even if you don't feel like it.

2. we are conditioned by society to believe that self-love is selfish.

 How many times have you stepped back from a commitment and instantly felt guilty? How often do you say no to someone and feel self-absorbed? Feeling this way is normal and totally understandable because society has led us to believe that prioritizing our own needs is selfish, but this is not true.

 Despite everything that society has told you, taking care of your own needs is one of the most important things you can do. Your health and happiness are yours to protect and maintain. Taking the steps to do so is never selfish. 

3. self-love is not a rapid process. 

Think of the people you love most, that it takes some time to love them firmly and completely. When you begin to learn how to love yourself, it may take some time for you to feel it understand though that similar to loving other people, loving yourself is a process and a journey. It may not, and probably won't happen overnight, and that's okay. 

Do you tend to dwell on your flaws? We wanna remind you that your flaws are what make you unique. They're part of what makes you the wonderful human that you are. 

self love

4. self-love is important 

Because it opens even more doors for you to give and receive love. Have you ever heard that phrase or versions of it where they say love yourself first? It's true, the way you love yourself shows others how to love you. According to licensed marriage and family therapist,  from Psychology Today, forming a healthy relationship with yourself, that is full of care, understanding, compassion, and healthy boundaries will help you achieve that kind of relationship with yourself and others. 

5. uncovering the sources of healing can be difficult. 

Are you in the process of emotionally healing? If so, you should be proud that you're taking the steps to heal, for it isn't easy. Like self-love, healing not only takes time, but it's also very complex. Unravelling possible years of bury trauma is daunting. 

If you become overwhelmed during this process, know that you aren't alone, digging deep, and healing from past wounds or reoccurring ones can be an overwhelming process. Part of self-love and practising self-care is knowing when to step back in the healing process.

 Though it may be very tempting to keep pushing, remember that part of loving yourself is acknowledging your own boundaries. This is especially important in healing to avoid uncovering memories and moments in ways that may wound you further. 

6. self-love means 

 giving permission to accept your own compassion. Have you ever noticed the negative connotation that's around self-compassion, perhaps disguised as making excuses or feeling sorry for yourself? The truth is that one of the greatest sources of strength is being able to have kindness and compassion for your own experiences in life. 

We have this unfortunate quality to automatically blame ourselves. When things go wrong, if you didn't get a job or get into your college pick, you tend to believe that you aren't qualified enough. If a friend is mad at you, you tend to blame yourself first, rather than objectively examining the situation.

 If it goes unchecked, this could lead to lower self-esteem, more negative self-talk, and even self-loathing. Self-compassion is something that lives inside of you, rather than suppressing it for the sake of others. 

The more you consciously accept the understanding and kindness you want to offer yourself, the more your self-esteem and confidence will grow. 

 self-love means following the earings of your own heart, even if that's not what others want. Have you ever felt obligated to do something because you were being pressured by others? To take up a certain hobby or go down a certain career path that you didn't want. 

While their complacency might seem to resolve differences and issues in the short term, it can leave you unfulfilled later on, part of loving yourself is giving yourself the right, to follow your own dreams and your own heart, no matter what others have to say. 

Those who judge you or impose their dreams on you also have their own chances to take, your personal passions are strong and beautiful. They're unique to you, that which makes your heart sing is yours to cling to. You deserve to feel happy and fulfilled, no matter what others have to say. 

7. self-love isn't always fun. 

Sometimes self-love is hard, it's doing what's best for you even if it doesn't necessarily excite you at the moment. Self-love can be going to bed early when you know tomorrow is an important day. Choosing to stay in so you can finish an assignment, or saying no to a loved one, so you can have time for rest. You have sat down and are respecting your own boundaries, and that is a great thing.

 Sometimes, to love yourself, you have to prioritize what is best for you and make sacrifices. The sheer ability to do this confirms, just how much you have your best interest at heart. What are your thoughts on self-love, and how do you practice it?

self-love

steps to self-love

 Do you know what self-love is? 

It's more than changing your hair, getting a new wardrobe or attempting to redefine yourself. Self-love is gaining an appreciation for yourself through the physical, emotional and spiritual support you provide yourself with. It's not a fixed state but can grow over time through actions that lead to maturity.

 Establishing self-love can be a long journey but it's a vital step to improving your mental health and overall happiness. 

So, here are a few tips that may help you along the way. 

1. forgive yourself.

 Are you incredibly tough on yourself? Sometimes when you're struggling for perfection you end up overlooking the fact that you're only human. Although you may tell yourself that you're just holding yourself accountable, too much self-deprecation can be harmful to your mental health.

 Instead, learning to forgive yourself for the mistakes you make and treating them as opportunities to grow, is a step towards practising self-love. 

2., be mindful. 

Are the goals you set for yourself really what you want or are they pushed onto you by society? Being introspective or mindful can give you a sense of clarity into who you are how you think and what you want. 

It arms you with self-knowledge that you can use to move forward. Some ways to practice mindfulness include keeping a journal, meditating or just taking some time to self-reflect. 

3. act on what you need.

 Do you know what gives you energy? What makes you happy? Perhaps you're feeling overwhelmed with needing to spend so much time with your friends or colleagues, but feel bad for wanting to step away. 

Choosing to go anyways may end up draining your energy and leaving you exhausted. That's why it's so important to identify the things that make you feel better versus the things that make you feel worse. Knowing what you need and acting on those needs is a form of self-love. And it can go a long way for your mental and emotional wellbeing which brings us to.

4. set boundaries. 

Are there certain behaviours that you're not willing to put up with? The purpose of setting boundaries is not to kick people out of your life but rather to help you identify what is acceptable or welcomed in your life and what's not. 

Healthy boundaries help you filter out things that drain your energy, harm you emotionally, physically or spiritually. A way to set boundaries is by starting with Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Figure out what you need to feel loved or accepted and then work from there. 

self love

5. protect yourself. 

What type of people do you surround yourself with? Another way to practice self-love is to protect yourself. This may mean bringing people into your life who will be supportive and who contribute to your emotional, mental and spiritual health instead of tearing it apart.

 Getting rid of fake friends or anyone who takes pleasure in your misery is important for your self-esteem and self-confidence. 

6. live intentionally. 

What makes your eyes light up? What inspires you? Sometimes it's easy to just follow a routine in your day to day life to the point where you stopped giving it much thought but it's important to live life with intention and to make choices that help you move towards your goals. 

For example, if you intend to live a peaceful and healthy life you need to make choices that support that goal that may include learning how to meditate or starting to change your diet for the better. 

7. show up for yourself. 

Do you scold yourself when you don't finish everything you set out to do? There will be times where you don't accomplish everything you plan to do but, acknowledging the effort you've given and the amount you have done is important. 

It's easy to focus on only your fault but showing yourself kindness and compassion, even in how you talk to yourself can help override some of the negative mental patterns you may have and help you feel loved and supported. 

8. practice self-care.

 Do you tend to ignore your needs sometimes? Taking care of your basic needs is an act of love. Even taking a few minutes out of your day to check-in and provide yourself with what you need can help you feel a lot better. 

Whether it's soaking in a hot bath, eating something healthy or even working out. Practising self-care can go a long way for your mental health and your happiness. 

Have you practised any of these types of self-love?