Photo by Mental Health America (MHA)
Self-love is a regard for one’s well-being and happiness. Each of us lives and thrives in our bodies, and these bodies – our homes – need to be unending wells of love for us. This appreciation of our beings should not be confused with self-conceitedness, an exaggerated version of self-love.
Here at FunTimes, we have gathered five (5) simple ways to fall in love with yourself, whether you are an expert at self-love or a shy beginner unsure of where to begin.
(1) Appreciate yourself with gentleness and kindness
Before showing kindness to others, we need to show it to ourselves. How do you react when you wake up in the morning and see your reflection? What do you say? Do you appreciate your reflection? Do you avoid eye contact until you are showered and ready for the day? Find time in your routine to appreciate yourself and your body as it is. It could be with words of affirmation by speaking life and light into your being. It could be by gifting yourself with a facial, massage, or other therapeutic spa treatments. Your body is the longest home you have known, and appreciating it for all it does for you is one of the key ingredients to having a solid foundation.
(2) Meditate
Meditation can help you gain a new perspective, manage stress, and improve your mood. The world can get full of a lot of noise and distractions, and it is valuable to find time to shut off and listen to yourself. Find a quiet space so silent you can hear your heart beating and listen and be in tune with yourself. Watch a how-to meditation video online, get comfortable, take deep breaths, and allow your self-rest and thoughts to flow. Do not combat your thoughts or classify them as good, bad, or rational; just let things flow. Let what resonates with your rise to the top and what does not sink to the bottom. Humans go through so many emotions daily; taking time to decompress and relax anxieties and finding peace is a good sign of self-love.
(3) Date yourself
We all have our ideas of what a perfect date is based on our preferences and what we hold dear. Instead of waiting for another person to have that date with, have it first with yourself. Pull out all the stops you would typically do, impress yourself, and have a romantic or adventurous date with yourself. Forget societal pressures to find our ‘missing piece’; you are whole by yourself, and you can spoil and appreciate yourself the way you would wish another would. Self-love is partly about being your knight in shining armor, except you were never in need of saving, just in need of realizing all you can achieve!
Photo by Anna Shvets
(4) Be your leading motivational coach
When someone we love or care about is down or going through a tough time, one primary instinct is to talk to them and try to lessen their burdens. You can do this for yourself too. Talk to yourself whenever you can – whether aloud or under your breath. Encourage yourself by cheering yourself on through your challenging times. Congratulate yourself when you get a victory. Motivate yourself when you want to give up. Being your own ‘cheerleader’ goes a long way in having excellent mental health and strengthening yourself as your support system. This way, if there is extra support from others, it will be a plus, and if no one supports you, you already have your own back!
(5) Eat well and exercise
Forget the self-appointed size police who tell people what and how to look based on ‘attractiveness.’ This point has more to do with creating a ritual that gives you many health benefits to increase your life span. Regardless of size, health, or ability, regular exercise and eating healthy is terrific! Physical health impacts so many things, from our feelings, strength, moods, etc., and making a conscious effort to better your life can never be negative. And you do not have to become a bodybuilder or switch to being vegan to make your commitment known; there are many minor changes to improve your health overall. The commitment to make and stick to these changes is a commitment to yourself and will be proof of your love for your body and health.
In conclusion, remember to take it easy on yourself. Rome was not built in a day, and you will not always master self-love without constant practice. Loving yourself is a vow and a commitment – a marriage of some sort – and every marriage has its ups and downs. Some days will be better than others, and others may feel bad. However, be sure to love yourself through those moments. Make a promise to yourself not to give up and to find ways to be in love with yourself through all your seasons without any shame or guilt, and you will find it will also do wonders for your mental health and peace of mind.
