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Importance of self-love:
Why and how to practice self-love
You might have heard of the term self-love being talked about lately. It seems like everywhere we turn somebody is talking about how they add different self-love techniques into their routines.
Well, the good thing about self-love is that it can mean whatever YOU want it to mean.
In plain terms, it means that you take part in activities and personal rituals that help you find happiness in your life.
It is the state of being comfortable with yourself and showing appreciation for your mind and body.
There are many ways you can practice self-love, and the important thing to remember is that it has to be something that makes YOU feel good.
Not what someone else is telling you they do to make themselves feel good.
For example, I love reading and journaling, but if you find it boring and useless, please don’t do it for the sake of just doing it!
Related posts:
6 Books That Will Change Your Life
50 Journal Prompts For Self-Growth
It might take you a while to find what works for you, and that’s okay. Everybody is different.
In today’s post, I am going to be going over 7 general self-love practices which I think anybody can benefit from, no matter what your relationship with inner yourself is.
There is something in this post for everyone.
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Set boundaries
Setting boundaries can be defined as setting limits on how far we let other people do what we think is acceptable towards us.
Setting boundaries can be challenging for some people, especially if they haven’t done it before. However, it is one of the best things you can do for your mental health.
There’s a saying I love which says:
You have to teach people how to treat you.
Unkown
How will others know how far they can go with you, if you don’t show them?
Because self-love is largely focused on how you feel on the inside, setting boundaries will help you a lot in how you feel as a result of others.
If you have trouble standing up to people, click here for four ways to set and keep your personal boundaries.
Work on your mindset
Our mindset directly affects what happens in our lives.
The decisions we make on a daily basis are a direct result of our thoughts. Which is why I always stress the importance of working on our mindset.
Of course, nobody is happy and positive all the time, and that’s completely normal.
However, working on becoming a glass-half-full person is going to help you a lot in how your life folds out from now on.
If you don’t know where to start regarding working on a more positive mindset, I explain it in my post on hacks for cultivating a growth mindset.
Enjoy silence
Whether it is meditation, prayer, or just a few minutes to yourself a day, silence has got to be one of the most beautiful and calming rituals you can partake in.
Silence, even a few minutes of it a day, helps to relieve stress, lower blood pressure and help boost the body’s immune system among other benefits.
Besides all the amazing health benefits silence provides, I have found that you can really learn to slow down when you take a few quiet moments to yourself.
Most of us are always on the go, always thinking about the next 10 things we have to get to, and that can take a toll on our mental health.
The next time you feel overwhelmed and like you have a million things to do, try slowing down, closing your eyes and focusing on your breath for a few minutes. It makes the world of a difference.
Indulge in self-care
Self-love and self-care fall into the same category of personal development. In addition to working on your inner self, your outer self needs love too.
There are a million things you can do for self-care that will relax you and put you in a good mood. What you choose to do, though, should be something that you really enjoy doing.
If you have been looking for more ideas on what to do for self-care, head on to my post on 60 ideas for self-care rituals.
Be grateful
Expressing gratitude for what you have is always going to bring more goodness into your life.
I’m a huge believer of the Law of Attraction, and gratitude is one of the essential steps to attracting more to be grateful for.
No matter how hard things may seem, there is always something positive that you can look at and be thankful that you have it.
A roof over your head, food in the fridge, loving friends and family, even wifi!
Take a few minutes at the beginning or end of your day and write down 3 things you are grateful for.
It will immediately shift your mindset from a place of lack to a place of abundance. You can even use a gratitude journal like this one if you need more guidance.
If you would like to read more about the Law of Attraction and how gratitude works, this article can help.
Take responsibility
You are responsible for your own life. Let that sink in.
If you’re waiting on someone to come along and save you, help you, or guide you in the right direction, you’re wasting your time my friend.
The only one who has power to take you from point A to point B in your journey, is you.
The sooner that you realize that, the faster you will get there.
It really is that simple.
It seems like every other week someone gets talked about in the news who came from nothing and is now doing extraordinary things with their life.
Where you’ve been and what you’ve gone through doesn’t matter. It doesn’t dictate the rest of your life.
You can always turn your life around and it’s never too late.
Related read:
How To Take Responsibility In Your Life
Keep your cup full
The person you should take care of before anyone else, is yourself. If you don’t take care of yourself, how are you supposed to take care of others? Your kids, your significant other, your family?
You cannot pour from an empty cup.
Unknown
It is your job to make sure that you are well-taken care of. Nobody is going to do it for you, because everybody else is busy filling their own cups.
Educate yourself. Keep inspiring content on hand. Learn to slow down. Learn to appreciate yourself. Look at yourself in the mirror and fall in love with what you see.
Eat healthy. Move your body. Surround yourself with people who uplift you. Set goals and go out and get them.
Only you can do all those things for you.
Nobody is going to tell you to get off the couch and go out there and make your dreams happen.
It starts, and ends with you.
Related reads:
100 Habits For A Happier Life
10 Toxic Habits That You Need To Stop
Books that can help you learn more about self-love
Final thoughts
As you can see from this post, self-love is so much more than rewarding yourself with material things.
It starts with serious inner work. Inner work, which you are worthy of.
Is there something on this list that resonated with you? I’d love to know in the comments!
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Great tips. I love the quote about pouring from an empty cup. So many of us need to take that on board!
Definitely! I think many people can relate to that.
Hear, hear! Self love is always important. I like that you included that portion about enjoying silence, which is very important in this busy world we live in.
I absolutely love silence! So important.
Thank you very much for this, self love is absolutely important.
I completely agree!
I loved, loved, loved how you boiled down self-love to simply mean “what you want it to mean”.
Nothing I do to take care of myself is quite what other people do; I do not really binge on shows or cook special meals. Usually I write, or go for a walk, or exercise.
I love expressing gratitude every morning. 🙂
Everybody is different, so it really comes down to personal preference, I think. 😊
Love this- especially the bit the enjoying silence! That’s so important. Thank you so much for sharing your tips, they’re very useful x
You are so welcome! Thank you for stopping by!
Today, my self care was lying down. I was running on empty, and my mind and soul were paying the price. I needed to stop moving. I can finish it all tomorrow.
Sometimes a break is all we need to feel a hundred times better. 😊
Amazing Guide
Thank you!
Love this post such useful tips absolutely loved reading that quote about pouring from an empty cup I’ve never thought of it this way before !! Great post 💗
That quote has quickly become a favorite of mine!
I totally agree with self-love meaning what YOU want it to. Each of these points are genuine and when implemented you will feel so much better. It’s then all about putting what works best for you into a routine to try and maintain that mindset. It’s so easy to let these things go when life gets chaotic!
Hayley || hayleyxmartin
Absolutely! What works for one person might not work for another, so it’s good to experiment until you find a routine that you love!
Wow, some great tips here! Deffo a post I needed today 🖤
I’m so happy to hear that!
Thanks for another great blog post. I am loving those quotes and book suggestions too
So happy to hear that!
I love this & it’s so important especially at this crazy time we’re all living in.
Oh yeah, crazy times call for extra TLC!
I agree with this and my favourite the silence it’s so very important x
I love silence too! 😊
Wow, very inspirational, You have even 60 ideas for
self-care rituals..
I hope you were able to try some out!
I love all of these! I’ve got pretty good with gratitude now after practising it for so many years, so the big focus right now is mindset! Trying to catch whenever I slip out of a good one and taking a step back to rectify it.
I loved this post, I agree with all of the points you’ve mentioned. I need to work on setting boundaries with people.
Definitely do that, it’s so important for wellbeing!
This is so brilliant to read! Especially with all of the craziness going!
Rosie
loverosiee.co.uk
Thank you!
I am also practicing self-love now. Thank you for sharing your tips. These tips are good. Have a good day.
Thank you so much!
This is definitely a difficult time for me in terms of self-love, as I feel completely useless with everything going on. But practising gratitude, meditating and trying to frame everything through a positive mindset is helping. I have to be kind to myself in order to be able to be kind to others!