The world is overwhelming, even for a 30-something-year-old adult such as myself. Navigating the delicate path to self-love in your journey to pursuing happiness.
We have become so distracted with creating the perfect lifestyle, building the ideal career, keeping up with relationships, and conforming to the norms of where we are from. We often forget to care for the most important person in our lives: ourselves.
Everyone is clearly overwhelmed, and I know this struggle all too well. Yet, at the same time, we’re all struggling to talk about it and figure out ways to cope with it. I am here to tell you that it is okay because self-love will help you accept and embrace yourself.
These are the tips that helped me embrace self-love. I hope they guide you in your journey to practicing self-love.
What is Self-Love?
Self-love is when you prioritize your own needs and happiness to become a better version of yourself. I am not an expert in this subject, but I am here to share my journey in cultivating the life that I want. It will take a lot of determination, and you will have to learn to let go of several things for your own well-being.
It is a challenging journey to develop self-love and learn to take care of yourself before anyone else. That was a difficult obstacle that I had to overcome because I was a people-pleaser. Trust me, you will save yourself a lot of stress.
Why is self-love important?
Self-love means making time to take care of yourself and meet all, or most, of your basic needs will help you create a happier life. You increase your self-esteem and overall well-being. Your relationship and productivity will improve.
I understand that nobody’s perfect, but at the end of the day, I still want to feel good in my own body. Life is hard, but knowing your own value should not be this difficult. When you find yourself trying too hard, something is clearly wrong. I encourage you to take a step back and address it.
Set some goals that you want to improve for yourself. It can be anything from improving your mental health by sleeping better or making healthy choices in food and exercise. Whatever you choose, be sure to choose for you.
How to practice self-love?
Practicing self-love does not mean going on an expensive vacation or treating yourself to a shopping spree. I used to think these were forms of self-care at the time. No, what I mean is taking the time to appreciate and rediscover yourself.
Everyone is different, and that is why I presented a variety of techniques on how to practice self-love. These are small, simple methods that you can easily implement into your daily life.
1. Set Healthy Boundaries
A great way to practice self-love is to learn to set boundaries by saying no unapologetically. Your time is valuable, so it’s important to use it wisely for yourself and with others.
Setting healthy boundaries in a toxic relationship can be challenging, but it is necessary for your own well-being. Demanding respect in a toxic relationship is a form of self-love, and if you have to remove yourself from that situation, remind yourself that it is okay.
2. Forgive Yourself
Realize that your past cannot be changed for the sake of your own emotional well-being, and work towards becoming the person that you want to be. Stop comparing yourself, because everyone makes mistakes, but we cannot let it define us.
These poor thoughts will do you no good in cultivating self-love. Forgive yourself and focus on the future, because you deserve to give yourself a second chance. In this area of self-love, it’s okay to ask for support when you need it.
3. Affirmations
This is one of the best self-love methods, in my opinion, that you should implement immediately every day. Say something good about yourself. Your self-confidence will boost and help you overcome your inner critic. You will not fall short of self-respect and self-indulgence.
It is a great way to acknowledge and change your perspective of yourself. I recommend a wonderful book to practice self-love: What to Say When You Talk to Yourself by Dr. Shad Helmstetter. He discusses the importance of how communicating with yourself affects your mental health.
If you have read this book, please share how you applied it to your daily routine and how it has affected you.
4. Gratitude Journal
Taking time to write down your blessing is an excellent method of self-care. It allows you to take a moment to appreciate all that you have. It’s also a great way of cultivating self-compassion and improving your mental health.
I write a list of 3-5 things that I am thankful for every day. It can be as small as receiving a hug from my husband to something big, such as getting a great review from a client.
You will find that writing down grateful moments is worthy of your time and energy. It’s a simple habit of overcoming your fears and reducing the negative thoughts in your head. This form of self-love will change your perspective and emotions by helping you realize that you’ve always had enough.
5. Practice Mindfulness
To be mindful is another form of self-love that is similar to gratitude by being selective with your thoughts in order to promote positive feelings. This, in turn, promotes healthy spiritual growth within yourself that increases compassion and positive energy.
I catch myself in the middle of a negative thought some days. I immediately take a moment to breathe and focus on something more positive, or I count my breaths to calm my anxiety down.
You make the decision to be resolved in order to break the negative cycle of letting your thoughts control you. You have the ability to reduce this stress by taking care of what information matters and what does not.
6. Celebrate Victories
Celebrating your achievements, no matter how big or small, is the easiest form of self-love you can do. Treat yourself to a day at the spa or your favorite foods. You can celebrate these feelings of victory with your friends and family. Make it a big deal because you deserve it.
I love noodles, and so I will treat myself to a delicious bowl of noodles. Sometimes I take my family out to the local ice cream shop.
7. Limit Social Media
Social media is a challenge that I struggle with, and I am sure a lot of people also struggle with it. This is another form of setting boundaries to practice self-care. Social media can be overwhelming, and your self-worth and self-esteem can lower immediately when it is not perfect like others.
Once, my scrolling habit developed so bad, I had to deactivate my social media accounts for over a year. That action helped me redirect my energy toward activities that were more fulfilling.
You can easily get absorbed into social media and develop anxiety, loneliness, and the fear of missing out. Give yourself some grace and compassion. Switch your attention to what you can do for yourself as self-love. Once you cultivate that self-compassion, those fears and anxiety will vanish.
8. Indulge In Your Hobbies
Indulging in your hobbies is an opportunity for self-love. Your hobbies make you happy and calm by reducing your stress and taking care of your needs.
For example, knitting draws my attention from all my worries and allows me to enjoy time for myself. This has improved my relationships with my husband and children, and they absolutely support my knitting hobby. I also develop self-compassion through knitting because I am able to breathe away my anxieties through every stitch.
Conclusion
In the pursuit of self-love, the journey is never easy, and self-compassion can often feel like the most daunting task. If you can show empathy and love for others, why not show the same support for yourself?
It’s okay to put yourself first by setting boundaries and celebrating wins. You deserve it.
Remember, seeking professional help is always an option if the burden becomes too heavy to bear alone. As someone who is extremely hard on herself, I know self-compassion is hard. Embrace these self-love practices as stepping stones toward a brighter, more fulfilling version of yourself.
Incorporate these self-love practices into your daily routine. Even if you can only do one, such as writing one gratitude a day, you are one step closer to becoming a better version of yourself. I wish you luck in your journey.